Growing Pumpkin

Cucurbita sp. : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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

(Best months for growing Pumpkin in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • 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 68°F and 90°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 35 - 47 inches 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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05 Apr 20, Pam Adam (Australia - tropical climate)
I have just harvested my first ever pumpkin (jap) and it’s a beauty. However there were no seeds inside. Does this mean anything?
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15 Apr 20, John Mauger (Australia - temperate climate)
If your pumpkin is ripe it doesn't matter. It just means that you can't save seeds.
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04 Apr 20, Bruno (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a number of grey pumpkins on drying vines and the stems have completely dried off most and the pumpkins self detached. The flesh is still far from ripe however with a lot of green flesh under the skin and the rest a pale yellow. While the p’kins are a good size there is not much flesh inside. What’s gone wrong ?
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06 Apr 20, Anon (Australia - temperate climate)
At a very rough guess I would say they were not fertilised and watered enough. Looks like you planted them about the right time, takes bout 20 weeks to mature.
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04 Apr 20, Lisa Morton-Jones (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
We have sown healthy grown pumpkins seeds now, early April They are about 2 inches tall..........we live in Loburn, outside of Rangiora. Do you think they will grow ?? or did we waste our time?? Thanks
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06 Apr 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If you went to the new Zealand section and looked up pumpkin in cool/mountain you would see to plant Oct to Dec. Look at the time to plant crops, there is a reason, that is when they do best.
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19 Mar 20, Toni Proudlock (Australia - temperate climate)
Today,I have salvaged my butternut pumpkin seeds but they are still so fresh and moist. How long does it take for them to dry out successfully? I read that they can be put in a sterile jar and kept in the fridge until September when the planting should begin. What size garden do they need? Can they be cultivated in garden planter boxes? I don't have much garden space and I have a flat block. I am very much the novice gardener....thank you.
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19 Mar 20, Another gardener (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Take the seeds and put them in some water for about 3 days. New water each day. That will take the flesh off them. Then let them dry for about 2 weeks. Then put them in a sealable jar and put in the fridge. Plants need to be planted about 1m apart and rows about 2m apart. They need a fair bit of garden to grow in. Depending on the size of the planter box you would need to pay attention to how much fertiliser you put on and water regularly.
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09 Mar 20, Karan Franks (Australia - temperate climate)
Hello, My Kent pumpkin vine did very well this year producing nearly 30 pumpkins.. My question is while many are ready to harvest I still have baby ones starting to grow is this a normal thing for pumpkins. thank you .
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10 Mar 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I had apple cucumbers have 3 flushes of flowers to produce 3 lots of cucumbers. Pumpkins could do the same. It will then take another 50-60 days or so until you will pick these. The soil would have to have more fertilising or the pumpkins would be small in size. Consideration to, you have had a great crop, do you really want to keep going for 2 months more. I think like, I spent $1 on 10 pumpkin seeds and they produced $40-50 of produce, that is great value. Time to rip that crop out and prepare the soil for the next crop.
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Just found this - commercial production. For efficient pollination and fruit set, there must be: both male and female flowers and bees to move pollen from male to female flowers. A number of factors can influence pollination, Cold and overcast days limit pollination activity of bees. Hot dry conditions desiccate pollen making it unviable. Rapid growth promotes earlier flowering. However, high temperatures, long days and high rates of nitrogen can result in: vigorous vegetative growth and few flowers and a higher proportion of male to female flowers. It is important to check the sex of the flowers. A ratio of 1 female to 7 male flowers is usually considered adequate. Flowers open early in the day and for one day only, and they close by mid afternoon. These periods are shorter under high temperatures. Flowers are most receptive to pollination in the morning when bee activity is usually the highest. Bees are necessary for pollination and must be active in the crop. Flowers require at least 12 bee visits for good pollination. If bees are not plentiful, introduce at least two hives per ha after female flowers appear and male flowers start producing pollen. Spread hives around the field outside the crop, preferably so that bees have to fly over the crop to get to another food source. Destroy flowering weeds around the crop.

- Mike

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