Try planting them in sterile growing medium. Eggplant seeds need warm soil to. germinate! The best germination rates occur when the soil temperature is between 72 to 80 degrees F.

You are a little late starting eggplant seed, Anasophia.

I'm only a couple hours drive from the northeast corner of Oregon and considerably higher in elevation than the Willamette or the Rogue valleys.

I planted 5 eggplants out of 4 inch pots into the garden this afternoon. The rest of them will go in tomorrow. These plants were started indoors during the 1st week of March.

I suppose that people in zone 9 or 10 can direct-seed eggplant but I had no idea that an Oregon gardener could do this. Whaddya think about purchasing some plants at your local farmers' market?

Steve

I tried starting Asian eggplants from seeds for 2 years without much sucess. The variety last year was Ichiban, a Japanese long purple type, zero germination. The method was wrapping seeds in wet paper towel, put in sandwich bag, and leave it on top of frige. This works for tomato seeds as old as 10 years. This year I started 20 PingTung Long, a Taiwanese long purple variety, I got 3 seeds germinated.

I think I will just buy seedlings next year ...

We have a little trouble growing eggplant because of our cool nights and short season - many US standards are out.

Dusky has turned into a fairly consistent performer but this year, we are also growing Applegreen, recommended by a Colorado gardener with only about a 90 day growing season.

Asian types - most have been not very productive with fruit so small as to be nearly unusable. We bought Yasakanaga Hybrid seed from Kitizawa this year. The plants look really good and are taller than either of the other 2. Germination was also very good.

We start all of our seed in plastic cookie boxes on top of the refrigerator in regular potting soil. It is fairly warm on the refrigerator (above 70) day & night. The only problem with veggie seed germination this year, that I can remember, was some older tomato seed.

I haven't done the "between the paper towels" approach in years - too absent minded to keep them moist. Poor germination indoors, I think, is mostly the fault of the seed companies - poor quality control.

Steve

Eggplant likes it's soil temperature hot. At a soil temp of 86 F degrees, it takes 6 days to germinate.

Wow! 86 degrees. I'll remember that next year. Perhaps a light bulb in closed box would do.

Thx violet.

Seedling Heat Mats work better.

{{gwi:385526}}

"How long does it take for those seeds to sprout? At 40 degrees F, carrots take 50 days to sprout. 50 DAYS! Wow that is almost 2 MONTHS, of course the soil warms gradually so they finally do sprout sooner but think of all the bad things that can happen to those seeds in that time period.

Now look at the time to sprout in the late summer when the soil temperature might be around 70 degrees. Carrots take 6 days ! What a difference - the same is true of every other type of seed.
Beets: 40 days versus 6 days.
Onions: 30 days versus 4 days.
Peas: 40 days versus 7 days.
Spinach: 25 days versus 5 days."

So 80ðF - 85ðF is optimum for the most rapid germination. Greenhouses know this which is why they often use heating pads or systems under their seed trays to make the most efficient use of time management.

Top of fridge works great for me. I do tomatoes, peppers and egg plant that way.

Jim

Sow the seeds in the pots where you have planted the plants like Jasmine etc. and kept the pots inside the house.Put the seeds at the edge of the pot in early March. Seeds will germinate some time in May.Take the pot outside by end of
May for hardening.After few days plant them in garden bed.
This method works fine with pepper and egg plant seeds.