How do you plant eggplants?

Start planting eggplant seeds indoors, and plant them outdoors in a sunny outdoor spot once outside temperatures have warmed to at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Add compost to the soil after tilling it.

1. Start the seeds indoors

   Plant the eggplant seeds eight weeks before the last frost date by sowing them in flats filled with soil-based potting mix. Lightly cover the seeds with the soil mixture. Place the flats in a warm spot that gets at least 12 hours of sunlight daily. Transplant the seedling to individual pots once they are 3 inches tall. Alternatively, you can buy transplant-ready eggplant seedlings from a nursery.

2. Prepare the seedling for planting

   Harden-off the seedling by placing it in a sheltered outdoor spot for 2 to 3 hours before bringing the plant back inside. Gradually increase the sun exposure and the amount of time the plant is left outside every day.

3. Prepare the planting area

   Dig or till the soil in a sunny planting area to loosen and aerate the ground. Mix in several inches of compost or composted manure to enrich the soil.

4. Plant eggplant seedlings

   Once the soil is 70 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer, dig a hole of the same depth as its current container. Mix time-released fertilizer in the soil, place the plant in the hole and fill it with soil. Cover the ground with a layer of mulch after watering the plant.