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I bought this eggplant over 4 months ago but made the mistake of planting it in the back yard where it only got a few hours of full sun, and was also under netting. It's now starting to flower but we are well into autumn now.

An eggplant is a perennial, and I'm wondering whether I can dig it up and pot it, and keep it inside hoping it will fruit. I might order a grow light as well since I'll be moving it to my office which only has a few hours of sunlight.

The leafs are showing signs of aphid damage.

eggplant

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2 Answers 2

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There isn't anything magical about being inside or outside, the main thing is getting enough light, and that looks like it already isn't getting enough light.

if you need eggplant, and you want to grow it yourself, you could invest in some grow lights and make an indoor oasis for this eggplant... your eggplants will end up costing you US$45 each, but you will have eggplants.

the plants are self fertile, but would benefit from hand pollination (assuming a lack of wind and vibrations and bees in your home.)

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  • Do I need to trim the roots at all? Or will that stop the plant from flowering?
    – Graham Chiu
    Commented Apr 2, 2016 at 21:56
  • idk, I wouldn't trim any roots, if you had to to get it into a smaller pot, then do what you have to I guess..
    – Grady Player
    Commented Apr 3, 2016 at 1:58
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    No, don't trim the roots if you can avoid it. Although removing quite a lot of leaves will stimulate plant growth.
    – davidgo
    Commented Apr 3, 2016 at 6:39
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I've just asked my wife (who has a lot of knowledge specific to growing eggplants commercially). When she came across this problem she pruned back the yellow leaves, and the plant was fine - indeed I've seen plants a lot worse then that come back to life just fine.

I very much doubt it will thrive indoors as they require a lot of heat (24-28 degrees centigrade are ideal), as well as light - although it will will probably grow at a reduced rate.

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  • I might get 24 C in my Wellington office in the mornings but light will be a problem. I'd better order my grow light now!
    – Graham Chiu
    Commented Apr 3, 2016 at 6:31
  • With respect of it fruiting - yes, the plant can set fruit provided the temperature is above 15 degrees centigrade - and - while certainly not ideal, once the fruit has set, it can tolerate much colder weather if its hardened - and it sounds like yours most likely is.
    – davidgo
    Commented Apr 3, 2016 at 6:33
  • Forgive me if this is inappropriate - but are you by any chance going to be in Wellington CBD on Friday 6 May, and if so, would you like to catch up - I'd be fascinated to meet you and I'm in Wellington for the day.) The number of daylight hours in Wellington should be OK even over winter, BTW - I'm almost certain there are commercial [hothouse] growers that far down - of-course, office != hothouse, and I believe Wellington would be to cold to leave the plant outdoors.
    – davidgo
    Commented Apr 3, 2016 at 6:36
  • Nah, sorry, I'm in Tauranga that day .. sampling the avocados from the motel's huge tree!
    – Graham Chiu
    Commented Apr 3, 2016 at 6:40

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