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

05 Mar 20, KO (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I live in Perth. Is it too late to plant pumpkins?
05 Mar 20, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Check on this page : www.gardenate.com/plant/Pumpkin Make sure that your climate zone is showing at the top of the page.
08 Mar 20, Janice (Australia - temperate climate)
Too late for pumpkin. Need to get them in the ground around end sept in Perth
02 Mar 20, Ann Moeser (Australia - tropical climate)
I live in Cairns in Far North Queensland. Will pumpkins grow in shady areas up here and how far apart should I plant each seed please? Regards Ann
28 Mar 20, Clive (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, Central QLD here. Jap pumpkins. This season i planted 2 lots of 3 vines on the same day. One in full sun and the other in a shady area. The full sun ones are growing wee with lots of pumpkins. The ones planted in the shady area grew great looking healthy long vines but not a single flower, male or female. Have turned the water off these ones and will be pulling out in the next day or two. Need plenty of sunshine
02 Mar 20, Anon (Australia - tropical climate)
Most vegetables need a fair amount of direct sunlight a day, 4-5 to 8+ our a day. In shade you will have weak looking plants. It tells you in the notes how far apart. Set the climate zone to tropical for planting times.
28 Feb 20, Garden Gnome (Australia - temperate climate)
I also have seeds germinating from my compost and have at times so much produce have taken great joy in giving them away and hearing about the joyous results. I am out most mornings 2 hours after sunrise when the male stamen is all fluffy with pollen and the female has ants crawling around inside. I pollinate myself by gently picking and trimming the male flower because if I leave it to mother nature my crop is very small. I usually use 2 or 3 male flowers on one female just in case. Recent rains have not been helpful for flowers at all but 1 week later flowers are appearing and just this morning I watched a bee laden with pollen flying from flower to flower. It was so laden it had trouble flying. I love mother nature she is the best for people like me.
16 Feb 20, Paula (Australia - temperate climate)
Every year I get pumpkins pop up from compost that we put around the fruit trees. This year I have 10 large ones, and a number of small ones that might mature if it’s not too late. They are a mixture of Queensland blue and Kent. No butternut this year. Last year we spread the compost out the front and did not get a single fruit, otherwise we average 10 a year.
18 Feb 20, Another gardener (Australia - temperate climate)
Last year the compost may not have had pumpkin seeds in it. If it did the seeds may have gone rotten. Or they were too deep in the soil. Why not take a few seeds from the pumpkin you eat each year, dry them out for a couple of weeks and germinate them next year, Put the dried out seeds in a little plastic bag and store them in an air tight bottle in the fridge. You can produce about 3-6 pumpkin per plant if the bees are active or hand pollinate.
01 Feb 20, paul polglase (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have planted pumpkin seeds from last years plants every little bit of space I can find in my yard this summer, plants are coming up everywhere and noticed the first pumpkins growing and looking very healthy. I was wondering if I can put a illtle bit of chicken manure around each plants base, as I think it,s the best thing to add to the garden, but away from the stems to give them areal kick in the guts?
Showing 121 - 130 of 679 comments

I am just south of Townsville and planted Qld Blue pumpkin seeds in early April in good soil with correct PH levels. Plenty of space to run and good sunshine and watered daily. The plants grew well for about 6 weeks producing masses of mostly male flowers?? I had plenty of bees doing their job, but still only got two pumpkins that didn't reach maturity before the plants died off about 2-3 weeks ago. We did have a couple of 6deg nights but nothing lower. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Cheers

- LynnStinten

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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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