Aubergine sounds like a warm-climate thing. It grows fine in Sweden up to zone 3 — the trick is the right variety and the right conditions.
Picking varieties
My favourites: Wenta (very fast), Diamond (fast) and Black Beauty (bushy). Many varieties work, especially early F1 hybrids:
- 'Hansel' (F1, 55 days, elongated)
- 'Millionaire' (55 days, elongated)
- 'Jackpot' (F1, 60 days, oval-round) – early and generous with round purple fruits, works even in zone 3
- 'Moneymaker' (F1, 60 days, oval-round)
- 'De Barbentane' (65 days, elongated)
- 'Little Fingers' (65 days, elongated)
- 'Wenta' (65 days, elongated)
- 'Diamond' (70 days, oval-round)
Sowing
I sow indoors around February 20 for planting out around June 10 — that dodges the late frosts and gives the outdoor temperature time to catch up. Sow about 5 mm deep and keep it warm (25–28 °C) for germination. They come up in 2–6 days. Keep the soil moist, not wet.
The seedlings are aphid magnets, especially if you sow too early — check them often and rinse off any visitors. Pot on the first time at 4–6 leaves, the second time when roots fill the pot. Harden off gradually for two weeks before planting out.
Care
- Light & temperature: extra light once the seed leaves are up, then a cooler spot around 20 °C.
- Water: moist but not wet — water from below and pour off the excess.
- Feeding: extra feed when flowering starts and fruit sets. Fresh grass clippings work fine.
- Pollination: self-pollinating, but wind, insects and a light spray of water all help.
Harvest & storage
Harvest when the skin is glossy and the fruit is firm — size depends on the variety. Frequent picking gives more fruit. Store cool and dry, ideally in the fridge's vegetable drawer, and don't wash them until you use them. For longer storage: freeze or preserve.
Month by month
February: sow indoors around the 20th.
March: first potting-on at 4–6 leaves (3–5 weeks after sowing).
April: keep going indoors. Watch for aphids.
May: second potting-on to a 9–11 cm pot mid-month. Start hardening off two weeks before planting out.
June: plant out when frost risk is over and nights hold steady around 10 °C — usually early to mid June.
August: first harvest late July into August. Keep picking, you get more.
September–October: harvest as long as the plants produce and the weather holds — mild autumns carry right into October.
Methods
Outdoors (friland)
I want to try aubergine outdoors — this is the plan. Sow indoors in January–February for planting out around June 10, same routine as the greenhouse plants. Good early varieties for outdoor beds: 'Hansel', 'Millionaire', 'Jackpot' (works even in zone 3), 'Moneymaker', 'De Barbentane', 'Little Fingers', 'Wenta' and 'Diamond'. Candidates on my test list: De Barbentane, Wenta, Diamond, Hansel, Slim Jim and Baby Belle.
Outdoor extras: mulch the soil to hold moisture and even out the temperature (grass clippings are my favourite), water deeply but rarely to push the roots down, and switch to a phosphorus-rich feed at flowering.
From the log
Grows well with
Tomatoes 
Peppers 
Chilli Get the complete guide
The printable Aubergine guide goes beyond this page — everything you need to actually grow it well, start to finish. It hasn't been made yet — it's coming as a printable PDF. Sign up for the Vegocracy newsletter below and you'll hear when it, and every other new guide, is ready.
Join the Vegocracy newsletterStep-by-step notes for every stage — sowing depth, spacing, care and what to watch for.
What to think about when picking a variety for your own garden, not just which ones earned their place in mine.
Do's and don'ts — what worked, what I'd skip next time, and the mistakes worth avoiding.
Full sow, transplant and harvest calendar for aubergine.
The background knowledge behind the how-to — why it behaves the way it does, and what it actually needs.
Join the Vegocracy newsletter One newsletter for the whole site — you'll hear about every new guide there, not just this one.
A friendly reminder: every garden plays by its own rules. Zones, soil, weather and a hundred small things decide what works — so this is how I did it and what worked for me, not a promise. Try, learn, adjust, try again.. that's half the fun anyway.
Also grows well in these combinations
Aubergine grows best with friends
This crop is part of one of my field-tested bed recipes — complete layouts with timing for every plant in the bed.
See all bed recipes