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Can You Grow Eggplant in Wisconsin?

US · USDA Zone 5a · zones 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b

Grows well here

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

Plant zones

5a–11b

Wisconsin last frost

mid-April

Wisconsin first frost

mid-October

Days to harvest

65–80 days

When to plant Eggplants in Wisconsin

Start indoors

Feb 17

Transplant

Apr 15

Harvest

Jun 19 – Jul 4

Dates are approximate, based on Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin

Wisconsin has a cold humid continental climate. Milwaukee is Zone 5b-6a; northern Wisconsin is Zone 4a-5a. Cold winters but warm productive summers. Known for dairy farming and cold-hardy crops.