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

02 Aug 14, Roz (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Pete, Garry is totally correct. The same plant produce both male and femail flowers.
16 Aug 14, Sally (Australia - temperate climate)
Female pumpkins have a large circle formation an the base (finger tip and thumb tip to make a circle size) and the males have a small circle( 20 cent coin size)
06 Oct 14, Karen (Australia - temperate climate)
All fruit is sort of "female". Like all species only the female produces offspring. So you can't get a male or female fruit for that matter. Male flower, yes, but not male fruit. It's the female flower that develops into a fruit after pollination by a male. As Gary said, someone was pulling your leg.
22 Jun 14, Lorraine (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My pumpkin plants are not dead they are sending out new strong branches with flower buds. Will I leave them in for next summer? Will they fruit next summer?.
02 Apr 14, jenni (Australia - temperate climate)
at our community garden we are inundated with slaters.....they ate down to soil level 5 of the 6 pumpkin seedlings, approx 6inches long, that we have just planted. we need help please
10 Apr 14, Steven (Australia - temperate climate)
I think slaters typically only eat decaying garden matter. My vegetable seedlings, including pumpkins, were being consistently eaten in my greenhouse this year. It took me a while to figure out that it was actually rats and mice. They were eating the seedlings, snail bait, and eventually Ratsak. Now they can't eat.
06 Mar 14, Kyria (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have planted "mini golden nuggets". I have noticed that on every inch of plant mainly under the leaves there are eggs EVERYWHERE!! All over the entire crop. Judging from pics they don't look like squash bugs I have no idea what they are or how to treat them... Any ideas? I live in Melbourne
06 Mar 14, Mary Ann tatarskyj (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted one seed this year (variety unknown) but the vine is rampant. I have 4 pumpkins which seem to be going very well, but there are a lot of leaves and quite a number of flowers underneath these leaves. Should I remove some of the leaves to expose flowers to sun and bees? I'm a novice vege gardner. Thanks.
21 Feb 14, gavin (Australia - temperate climate)
pumpkin vines gets fruit to approx 2 inches then rots & leaves turn yellow brown... have you a answer for this problem
24 Mar 14, ally (Australia - temperate climate)
Sounds like the fruits aren't pollinating properly. when you get both a female and male flower open at the same time, early morning is usually best. Pick the male flower and peel back the petals to reveal the stamen with the pollen on it. find the open female flower (with the baby pumpkin at the base of the flower) and gently rub the male stamen against the female stigma inside the flower. It's like artificial insemination. The fruit should set and grow after the female flower closes and falls off the pumpkin fruit after a few days.
Showing 431 - 440 of 679 comments

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.

- Richard

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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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