When to plant eggplant in USDA Zone 8b

Plan your eggplant planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Charleston SC, Savannah, Mobile, Austin, Jacksonville. Average last spring frost March 15, first fall frost November 15 — a 245-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Eggplant is well suited to Zone 8b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors
January 11 – January 25
Transplant outdoors
March 29 – April 19
Expected first harvest
June 24 – July 22
Fall planting window
August 2 – August 23
Fall harvest window
October 28 – November 25

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
24″
Row spacing
36″
Seed depth
0.25″
Soil temperature
75–90°F
Frost tolerance
tender
Days to harvest
80 days

Grower notes for Zone 8b

Flea beetle pressure is highest in early season; use row cover for the first 3 weeks after transplant.

Plant near: beans, peppers, marigolds

Keep away from: fennel

Other nightshades for Zone 8b

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.