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

03 Feb 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You should have done this in preparing the soil before planting the seeds. You need composted manure. Fresh manure won't do much for weeks until it is composted. Your plants will tell you how they are going. Good strong green looking plants don't need a good kick in the guts. Pale yellow weak plants do not have enough fertiliser.
23 Jan 20, Tina Johnson (Australia - temperate climate)
My pumpkins have sprouted out of some compost I put in the soil. I though they were QLD pumpkins but they are still a light yellow colour, will they turn grey or should I pick them.
27 Jan 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have only grown Kent pumpkin the last two years so I don't know much about the other varieties. But a mature pumpkin yellow sounds maybe like a different variety. Doing a bit of reading on the internet might help. Don't pick pumpkin until they are about 18-22 weeks old, the vine will be dying off and the stem holding the pumpkin to the vine will become hard.
20 Jan 20, SA MID NORTH (Australia - arid climate)
Be careful using your grey water on edible crops due to pathogens
24 Jan 20, Jaz (Australia - arid climate)
I'm mid north SA also, I thought we were temperate??
19 Jan 20, Peter Golding (Australia - temperate climate)
I live on Sydneys Northern Beaches. I have my pumpkin vines growing flat out on my lawn. Maybe 3 months since planting from seeds. I notice they produce many flowers but as yet most have dropped off and none have turned to fruit. I have possums and Bandicoots around but dont think they are causing the issue. How can I please keep the flowers from dropping off? I keep the water up to them and have used seaweed solutions a few times and added fertiliser pellets. Thanks for your help in advance
20 Feb 20, N (Australia - temperate climate)
Live in Melbourne and had the same problem... Then I started hand pollination and fruits were setting on 95% of my female flowers
20 Jan 20, anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I suggest you look up on the internet how to grow pumpkin. Look up how pumpkin needs bees to take pollen from the male flower to the female flower. Look to see if you have any plants flowers in your yard/neighbour that attract bees. Otherwise learn how to hand pollinate the female flowers.
21 Jan 20, Peter Golding (Australia - temperate climate)
Thank you I will do so
22 Feb 20, Lembit (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Does any one know why the we have to hand pollinate pumpkins - the bees used to do it when I was a child?
Showing 131 - 140 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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