When to sow Aubergine in the UK
Across the UK the first sowing of aubergine falls 7 weeks apart — early January in the mildest areas, late February in the coldest. That gap is why a single national sowing date is wrong for almost everybody.
Sowing and harvest dates by region
Timings below are adjusted from the midlands and lowland wales baseline using Met Office average last and first frost dates for each area.
| Where you are | Sow indoors | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | early January to early February | mid April to early May | early July to late August |
| South Coast and Channel | early January to mid February | late April to early May | mid July to early September |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | early January to early February | mid April to early May | early July to late August |
| South East and Home Counties | early January to late February | early May to late May | late July to mid September |
| East Anglia | early January to early March | mid May to late May | early August to late September |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | mid January to mid March | late May to early June | early August to early October |
| Wales and West Coast | early January to late February | early May to late May | late July to mid September |
| Northern England | late January to late March | late May to mid June | mid August to early October |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | late January to late March | early June to mid June | late August to mid October |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late February to mid April | late June to mid July | mid September to early November |
| Northern Ireland | early January to early March | mid May to late May | early August to late September |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | early January to late January | mid April to late April | late June to late August |
About the earliest indoor dates
The indoor sowing dates shift with your local last frost, because that is what decides when the seedling can go outside. Under glass, though, the limiting factor is daylight rather than frost. In the mildest regions the table pulls this sowing back into midwinter, and a UK windowsill in January has neither the light nor the day length to raise a sturdy plant — you get pale, drawn seedlings that never catch up. Unless you are growing under supplementary lighting, treat mid February as the practical earliest sowing for aubergine however mild your area.
Growing notes
Sow in January for a heated greenhouse or conservatory, February for an unheated greenhouse and early March for outdoor plants; seed needs at least 21C to germinate. Restrict large-fruited varieties to five or six fruits per plant and remove later flowers.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 60 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 60 cm
- Plants per m²
- 3
- Days to maturity
- 140 days
- Yield per plant
- 1.0 kg
- Sun
- Full sun
- Frost tender
- Yes — do not plant out until after the last frost
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 30 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 30 cm
- Balcony rating
- 3 out of 5
What usually goes wrong
- aphids
- glasshouse red spider mite
- glasshouse whitefly
- blossom end rot
Companion planting
Grows well near
Keep away from
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for aubergine.