Brinjal

Light

Sunny

Pot size

Large pot (more than 15 litres); needs at least 19 litres and 30.5 cm of depth

Care level

Moderate

Year round or seasonal

Seasonal crop for warm weather

Pets

Not pet-safe (NC State)

Light and position

Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct sun.

Size and pot

NC State’s container table gives a 5-gallon minimum (about 19 litres), one plant per pot, 12 to 16 inches deep (about 30 to 41 cm). N.C. Cooperative Extension gives 3 gallons (about 11.4 litres); we use the larger figure. Our pot band: large pot (more than 15 litres). A band is only a rough fit: the published minimum volume and depth above apply whatever the band. Check your pot with the volume calculator.

Watering

Keep the soil moist.

Potting mix and feeding

Well-drained, slightly acidic mix.

Growing through the year

Very sensitive to cold; NC State says it grows fastest at 70 to 85 °F (about 21 to 29 °C). Seed germinates in 8 to 12 days, and fruit is harvested roughly 105 to 133 days after planting.

NC State’s vegetable handbook says warm-season vegetables are frost-sensitive and grow well when temperatures are above about 21 °C (70 °F).

Watch for

Flea beetles, caterpillars and lace bugs; Verticillium wilt.

Pets and people

We did not find an ASPCA entry. NC State rates the leaves, flowers, stems and roots as highly toxic (solanine) and lists the plant as a problem for cats, dogs and horses.

General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.

Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Medium). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.