Domakihub How to Grow Aubergines: From Seed to Harvest
Everything you need to know to grow fat, glossy aubergines in the Greek climate — in beds or containers.
Reviewed by Domakihub garden pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
Aubergines thrive in exactly the kind of long, hot summers Greece offers, making them one of the most rewarding vegetables to grow at a home, holiday rental, or hotel garden. The video above walks through the full container journey; this guide gives you the ordered steps so you can follow along and adapt them to your plot or terrace. Get the basics right — warmth, consistent watering, and a little feeding — and you will be harvesting deeply coloured fruit within three months of transplanting.
Why Aubergines Suit the Greek Garden
Aubergines (Solanum melongena) are native to South and East Asia and were introduced to Mediterranean cuisine centuries ago — they need warmth that many northern European growers struggle to provide but that Greek gardeners enjoy as standard. Soil temperatures above 18 °C trigger rapid growth, and the dry summer air keeps fungal pressure low, so you spend less time fighting disease and more time harvesting.
They are equally at home in a raised bed, an olive-oil tin, or a large ceramic pot on a balcony. That flexibility makes them ideal for holiday rentals where outdoor space is limited, as well as for hotel kitchen gardens that want a show-stopper crop guests can actually see and eat.
Choosing the Right Variety
Classic Italian-type aubergines such as 'Violetta di Firenze' and 'Black Beauty' produce large oval fruit that hold up beautifully in moussaka and papoutsakia. Elongated types like 'Listada de Gandia' (purple-and-white striped) add visual interest to a garden and roast evenly. If you are growing in containers on a windy terrace, compact varieties such as 'Fairy Tale' or 'Patio Baby' need less staking and mature faster.
For a Greek kitchen garden, growing two varieties side by side — one meaty traditional type and one striking slim type — gives you versatility across recipes and an attractive display that impresses guests.
5 Steps to Growing Aubergines Successfully
- 1
Sow seeds indoors 10–12 weeks before your last frost
In most of Greece that means starting seeds in late January or February. Fill a seed tray with fine-grade seed compost, press seeds 5 mm deep, and cover with a thin layer of vermiculite. Aubergine seeds germinate best at 24–28 °C, so place the tray on a heat mat or in the warmest room in the house. Expect germination in 7–14 days. Once seedlings show their first true leaves, pot them up individually into 9 cm pots.
- 2
Harden off and transplant after soil warms
Move seedlings outdoors for progressively longer periods over 10–14 days before transplanting — this hardens off the plants and prevents transplant shock. Wait until night temperatures consistently stay above 15 °C, typically mid-April in lowland Greece. Space plants 50–60 cm apart in beds, or use containers of at least 30–40 litres per plant. Dig in well-rotted compost before planting and water in well with a diluted seaweed solution.
- 3
Water deeply and consistently
Aubergines produce bitter, misshapen fruit if water stress occurs during flowering and fruiting. In summer Greece, that usually means watering every 1–2 days — more for container plants, which dry out faster than beds. Apply water at the base of the plant in the morning; wetting foliage in full sun can cause scorch. A 5 cm layer of straw mulch around each plant dramatically cuts moisture loss and keeps roots cool.
- 4
Feed regularly with a potassium-rich fertiliser
Nitrogen is important early on to build a strong leafy frame, but once the first flowers appear, switch to a fertiliser high in potassium (such as a tomato feed) to encourage fruiting rather than more leaves. Apply liquid feed every 10–14 days throughout summer. If leaves turn pale yellow between veins, give a foliar spray of diluted magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) — aubergines are prone to magnesium deficiency on light sandy soils common in Greece.
- 5
Harvest early and often to keep plants productive
Aubergines are ready to pick when the skin is glossy and taut, and the fruit yields slightly to gentle thumb pressure — dull, spongy skin means it is past its best and seeds will be hard. Cut the stem cleanly with pruning shears rather than pulling, leaving about 2 cm of stalk attached. Harvesting early encourages the plant to set more fruit; leaving large fruits to over-ripen signals the plant to slow down. A well-maintained plant in Greece can produce 8–12 fruits per season.
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FAQ
- Can I grow aubergines in pots on a Greek balcony?
- Yes — aubergines are well suited to container growing provided the pot is large enough (at least 30–40 litres) and placed in a south- or west-facing spot that gets six or more hours of direct sun per day. Use a rich, free-draining potting mix, water daily in peak summer, and feed weekly once flowering begins. Compact varieties like 'Fairy Tale' need less staking and are ideal when space is tight.
- What pests should I watch for in Greece?
- The most common problems are spider mites (fine webbing on the undersides of leaves, especially in dry spells), aphids clustering on young shoots, and the aubergine fruit-and-shoot borer in warm coastal areas. Check plants every few days. A strong jet of water dislodges mites and aphids; neem oil spray applied at dusk controls both. Fruit borers leave small entry holes — remove and destroy affected fruit immediately to stop the cycle.
- Why are my aubergine flowers dropping without setting fruit?
- Flower drop is usually caused by temperature extremes (nights below 15 °C or days above 35 °C), inconsistent watering, or a lack of pollination. In Greece, daytime heat is the most common culprit in July and August. Provide shade cloth during the hottest part of the afternoon, keep watering consistent, and give flowers a gentle shake each morning to release pollen when bees are less active during extreme heat.