Home › Eggplant › Grow in Missouri

Can You Grow Eggplant in Missouri?

US · USDA Zone 6a · zones 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b

Grows well here

Eggplant grows well here with the warm season your zone provides.

Plant zones

5a–11b

Missouri last frost

early April

Missouri first frost

late October

Days to harvest

65–80 days

When to plant Eggplants in Missouri

Start indoors

Feb 3

Transplant

Apr 1

Harvest

Jun 5 – Jun 20

Dates are approximate, based on Missouri's average frost dates. Your exact yard may vary by microclimate.

About Eggplant

Eggplant needs a long warm season and maximum heat — more demanding than tomatoes but highly productive in the right conditions.

Start indoors 8 weeks before last frost — eggplant needs a long head start. Needs hot conditions to set fruit. Use black plastic mulch to warm soil. Very productive once established in heat.

Full eggplant growing guide →

Gardening in Missouri

Missouri has a humid continental climate. Kansas City and St. Louis are Zone 6a-6b; northern Missouri is cooler at Zone 5b-6a. Four distinct seasons with a long growing window.