Growing Eggplants From Cuttings

Establishing Roots

• 1

  Fill the glass Mason jar two-thirds of the way to the top with water. Place the eggplant cuttings inside the jar. Do not place more than two or three cuttings in one jar.

• 2

  Check the water level daily and refill the jar as the water evaporates. Roots should appear within two to three weeks.

• 3

  Remove the cuttings with new roots from the jar of water and plant them in a gallon-size pot three-quarters full of potting soil. Insert the roots down in the soil, and then fill the pot, making sure not to cover the cutting above the new root area.

• 4

  Keep the container indoors until all threat of frost is gone. Two weeks after the last frost in cool climates, prepare to transplant the cuttings by spreading a plastic ground cover on the garden bed. This helps warm the soil enough to plant the cuttings.

Transplant the Cuttings

• 5

  Prepare the garden soil by adding compost to create the slight acidity eggplants need to thrive. Make sure the area you choose for the eggplants is one that drains well.

• 6

  Plant the cuttings 1 inch deep and one foot apart in a row. If you have more than one row, space the rows two feet apart to allow room for the growing and mature plants.

• 7

  Stake the cuttings with wooden garden stakes that are 6 feet long and 1/2 inch thick. Use twine to secure the cuttings loosely to the stakes. Eggplants tend to be heavy and can droop and break as they mature. Add a layer of mulch around the plants to seal in the warmth and help retain moisture.

• 8

  Fertilize the plants with organic compost after the third week, and two times a month during the growing season. Side-dress the rows by spreading the compost six inches to the side of each plant. Incorporate the compost into the soil with a rake. Water the rows.