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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23 Mar 18, Also Lisa (Australia - tropical climate)
Ditto to Lisa above. The female flowers look like they already have a small pumpkin at their base. They are very easy to pollinate by hand.
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20 Mar 18, Lisa (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
The female flowers have what looks like a small pumpkin just behind the base of the petals the male ones have only got stalk there. The centre of the flowers are different too. The male flower has a longer, thin centre (think "male" and you get the idea) and the centre of the female flower is sort of a roundish swirl. To hand pollinate, remove a male flower and tear off the petals. The "male" part has the pollen. Rub it on the "female" part, the roundish swirl in the centre of the female flower. If it has worked, the pumpkin looking bit of the female flower will start to grow.
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23 Mar 18, Shona (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I have exactly the same issue. Is it worth self pollinating now that its nearly April and will the pumpkins grow?
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17 Mar 18, Hank Vanderwaarden (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Just picked my pumkins last week 10/3/18, after the vine died off, have them sitting on the veranda out of the sun and just want to know how long to leave them before they can be eaten.
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01 Apr 18, Grant Onysko (Australia - temperate climate)
Just make sure the attaching stem has hardened up and gone brown, I still have pumpkins over a year old, keep them inside if you can, all you have to do is pick them when they are ripe. Cheers
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30 Mar 18, Stephen G (Australia - temperate climate)
I left Butternut pumpkins harvested March 2017 out for about ten days before storing in a cellar. We picked 98. They were still excellent for 9 months, and we have just finished off the last 12 months later. No longer 100%, but we are not complaining.
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18 Mar 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Straight away. Keep them in a cool place and they will be good to eat for a few months.
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08 Mar 18, Mick (Australia - arid climate)
Hi planted my pumpkins in mid February, very healthy vine but very few female flowers and the ones that do arrive fall off before they get the chance to open.
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10 Mar 18, Darren (Australia - temperate climate)
Listening to all the gardening experts, this year has been poor for pumpkins, for whatever reason. Persevere with watering and feeding, as mine are just starting to fruit now. Regular liquid fertilizer should get them going fro you.
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14 Mar 18, ron (Australia - temperate climate)
Female flowers usually blossom the day after rain be sure to snap off a male flower and pollinate. You may have some success if you leave to later in the day but have found the morning offers the best result. We had 6 pumpkins this year off a small plant.
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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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