When to plant eggplant in Madison
Eggplant is frost-tender, so every date keys off Madison's last spring frost of May 5.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Mar 28 – Apr 18
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Jun 18 – Jul 9
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
Aug 27 – Sep 11
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
70 – 85 d
Madison's 151-day season leaves this much room.
Eggplant on Madison's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
FROST
FROST
MAY 5
OCT 6
Common questions
When will eggplant be ready to harvest in Madison?
Expect to harvest from around late August (Aug 27–Sep 11) in Madison, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.
When should I start eggplant seeds indoors in Madison?
Start seeds indoors around late March (Mar 28–Apr 18) in Madison, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 85%.
When can I transplant eggplant outdoors in Madison?
Transplant outdoors around mid June (Jun 18–Jul 9) in Madison, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.
How long is the growing season in Madison?
Madison has roughly 151 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow eggplant to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow eggplant 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out 2–3 weeks after it. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Madison's frost dates.
Confidence 89/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.