When to plant eggplant in USDA Zone 9b

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.

Orlando, Tampa, San Antonio, southern LA coast. Average last spring frost February 5, first fall frost December 15 — a 313-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Eggplant is well suited to Zone 9b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors
December 4 – December 18
Transplant outdoors
February 19 – March 12
Expected first harvest
May 17 – June 14
Fall planting window
September 1 – September 22
Fall harvest window
November 27 – December 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 9b

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 9b

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.