Growing Pumpkin

Cucurbita sp. : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S S S S            
      T T T T          
      P P P P          

(Best months for growing Pumpkin in Australia - tropical 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 20°C and 32°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 90 - 120 cm apart
  • Harvest in 15-20 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Sweet Corn
  • Avoid growing close to: Potatoes

Your comments and tips

02 Oct 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Great to hear of someone so young who wants to grow things. If this attempt fails, tell her to try next year. Plant around April/May and grow into the winter. If you have or can make a garden bed, tell her to try growing some radishes - nearly the easiest thing to grow. Go to Bunnings or a nursery and buy some punnets of lettuce or other things she likes and plant them. When starting out it is a lot easier to plant seedlings. The hard work has been done to germinate them. Also buy a little container of fertiliser (about 2kg or so) from nursery or Bunnings etc. I use a watering can (9 liters) and add a small tupperware cup of fertiliser to the water. Give it a good stir. Scale this down to say 1/2 to 3/4 of a tablespoon in 1-2 liters of water. Wait until the plants have grown to 3-4-5 inches. Little plants little fertiliser and more as they get bigger. Good luck.
30 Sep 17, Darren (Australia - temperate climate)
Spread some compost around the seedlings, and then add plenty of mulch, to save on water in summer. As they get bigger, cut the watering back to a couple of times a week.
08 Sep 17, Renae (Australia - tropical climate)
My son and I planted two pumpkin seeds, I have harvested about 8 pumpkins all Kent's and they are getting bigger and bigger. For some reason we seem to have a butternut shaped pumpkin that has the coloring and pattern of a Kent. Could it be a crossbreed? How early is too early to pick them? I've had to throw a few unripened ones away not knowing.
10 Sep 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Look how long it states to grow them and don't pick before then. The plant vines will start to die off. Best to grow into the winter months - they will mature slower and you will be able to store them longer. Read the notes here and on the internet.
10 Sep 17, Bru (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I grow butternuts fairly successfully, usually sowing seed from late September. Last years crop took a good 6 months (early April) before i could harvest (i can usually harvest way earlier than this). My suggestion is to give them at least 5 months from sowing, but keep an eye on the vine, once that starts dying off your pumpkins should be ready to harvest.
19 Jul 17, Terry Forster (Australia - tropical climate)
I am looking for Gramma Pumpkin seeds. I Grew some of these years ago near Beaudesert.Has any body heard of these we made dessert pumpkin pie with them.
21 Jul 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Google "Gramma Pumpkin seeds" and you will find where to buy them. I can't put other company names on here. .
09 Aug 17, Terry Forster (Australia - tropical climate)
I ordered them today, thanks for the advice.
16 Jun 17, Dilsie Evans (Australia - temperate climate)
I've grown pumpkin for the first time, 6 pumpkins. Just cut up the largest, the centre seems a bit soft and has lots of seeds. Is this normal??
19 Jun 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You have the skin and then a layer of firm to hard pumpkin - then in the middle is soft tissue and seeds. You don't eat the soft tissue.
Showing 311 - 320 of 681 comments

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