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

23 Feb 12, Carole (Australia - temperate climate)
1 part milk to 10 parts water sprayed on the effected leaves every couple of days might help.
29 Jan 12, Trish (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I am growing a jap pumpkin . I have four good size pumpkins on but now all the female flowers are not opening they turn yellow and drop off. We have had alot of rain for the past 2 weeks The vine is growing well and I have plenty of male flowers have grown pumpkins for years have not had this problem before cna some one help
04 Feb 12, pramsec (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Trish, If all four of your pumpkins are on the same vine then you may be overloading the root system of the plant. I have found that two fruit on each vine gives good results. You could try adding more fertiliser in a circle around but away from the stem of the vine. Hope this helps,
29 Dec 11, tony (Australia - temperate climate)
how do you hand pollinate pumpkin
15 Jan 12, Matt (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You need to take the pollen from the male flower and rub it onto the carpel (?) of the female flower. You can do this by either using a cotton bud to transfer the pollen, or simply just pluck a male flower from the vine, pull off the petals and then gently stick the flower stalk (with pollen on the end) into the female flower. Personally, I use cotton buds for my pumpkin and courgettes, but sometimes I will also use a plucked flower or just my finger.
21 Dec 11, Matt (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My pumpkin is growing really well, about an inch or more a day, but the leaves closest to the roots have started to turn yellow, die and drop off. This yellowing and dying is slowly moving along the plant toward the tip. The new growth is still looking really healthy. What can be causing this yellowing? Could it be a lack on N or Fe?
07 Dec 11, owen moore (Australia - temperate climate)
answer to Q try cutting arunner of your pumkin plant and it will produce female flowers or the end of a runner
03 Nov 11, robert cowley (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Ihad lots of male flowers growing this year and few females,now Ihave the opposite,can pollen from the male flowers be harvested for use later?
01 Oct 11, cheryl (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
has anyone herd of banana punkins before my inlaws grew these and they are a beautiful eating punkin but how well dpo they store ?
23 Sep 11, Mark Logan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I've heard that planting your pumpkin seeds into fairly poor soil and then fertilising once the fruit appears ensures you get more fruit and less leaves. Has anyone else heard of this?
Showing 541 - 550 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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