Growing Pumpkin

Cucurbita sp. : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
              S S S S  
                T T T T
                P P P  

(Best months for growing Pumpkin in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed

September: Frost tender

  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 20°C and 32°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 90 - 120 cm apart
  • Harvest in 15-20 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Sweet Corn
  • Avoid growing close to: Potatoes

Your comments and tips

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28 Feb 21, Kobie Swanepoel (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
My pumpkin's leaves are full of lice. What natural remedy can i use for that? Thanks
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28 Feb 21, Daniel Chai (New Zealand - temperate climate)
in my garden now many pumpkins are sprouting, even if it is not the season. Maybe after eating pumpkins the dregs were dumped there. what shall i do? Do I remove them to save the space for other veges or leave them?
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10 Mar 21, Orlene (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Howdy, If you can afford to give them that space e.g you dont need to use it for something else I say keep them in, might as well give it a go and see if you can get another harvest. I am currently growing Golden Nugget Pumpkins, they are a bush variety so can handle a bit lower temp/less light hours. One thing you will need to watch out for is powdery mildew as the plants tend to stay wetter for longer in the morning and the evening.
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01 Mar 21, (New Zealand - temperate climate)
There is not much sense growing something out of season. You may produce a crop that has little or no produce. Grow some thing that is in season.
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15 Feb 21, Que (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
How many plants must I plant in a hectare?
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16 Feb 21, Anonymous (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Google to find out some numbers. MAKE SURE you have plenty of bees in your area.
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12 Feb 21, Margaret (New Zealand - temperate climate)
How long do I keep watering pumpkins? They are big now - mid Feb - leaves a bit mildewy. But new leaves growing.They were planted late Oct from memory.
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22 Feb 21, Richard (Australia - temperate climate)
Different pumpkin types take different times to grow but most take over a month to fully ripen and you often wont see any finished products until mid or late March. It is definitely not time to give up yet. Good things to those who wait :) The plants will die very rapidly after the temperature drops in April and May. However if your getting mildew on the leaves in mid Feb I would recommend that you prune or spray the affected leaves to reduce the spread. I have had years where the plant died in late Feb before the pumpkins fully matured and I was very sad.
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15 Feb 21, (Australia - temperate climate)
By the guide here pumpkins take around 5 months to grow and ripen.
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26 Jan 21, victor (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
hello. i want to know which pumpkin produce green seeds and where can i buy it to plant it?
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Showing 81 - 90 of 833 comments
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No I haven't been able to get any more Windsor Black seeds I only had a couple of seeds that were given to me, I planted them on the side of a very small hill in Heavy soil they grew and branched every where were getting male flowers And the female flowers were forming, but 10 days of solid rain the patch was absolutely saturated the rest of our property was flooded I thought they would be alright but thr female buds went yellow & dropped off. I prayed & begged for the vines not to die but 90% did.I was shattered. one vine in the row above it The McLeay Mongrel survived Another Victorian Pumpkin, was so sick I just forgot it, went down the Hill the other day the grass was 2 & 1/2 feet high and I trod on something in the grass and nearly fell over looked and found one McLeay Mongrel Pumpkin I have collected the seed from what has to be the weirdest Pumpkin ever, But probably the nicest eating Pumpkin ever, I would say it is probably the rarest as well. The McLeay Mongrel Is a very dry pumpkin with superb flavor much like Iron Bark sweeter & nuttier, I have looked at it it is more than likely a Triamble Iron Bark cross Maybe some Qld. Blue. I am offering 4 seeds up for Auction on eBay I do not have many seeds, so thought if I put a good reserve in them only the very serious growers would buy them. Be Warned it is not a pretty pumpkin but needs some serious pumpkin growers to keep it from extinction, it is a heavy solid pumpkin, looks like an Alien lava Rock. visit eBay Pumpkins just to see it. Regards. Sylvia.

- Sylvia Allan

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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