Growing Pumpkin

Cucurbita sp. : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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

(Best months for growing Pumpkin in Australia - sub-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

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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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18 Feb 14, Lynette Maindok (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a pumpkin growing it has flowers and small front But the are going rotten help
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17 Feb 14, dennis (Australia - temperate climate)
Can i plant pumpkin feb
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14 Mar 14, (Australia - temperate climate)
It depends where you are- Pumkins ned a warm, long growing season- 3-4 months. In melbourne thats late spring- end of summer, up further north you need to be mindful of humidity.
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11 Mar 14, Paul Saunders (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have vine running with flowers
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06 Feb 14, phil (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi I'm in Perth western Aust I planted 8 pumpkins in November and they are growing beautiful but still no flowers on them can u explain the reason behind this please cheers Phil
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I see we should avoid growing pumpkins and potatoes together. I have 2 vegie gardens, they are about 8 meters apart. I grew potatoes(sebago?), tomatoes (gross Lizze), and for the first time capsicum and lettuce in the big one, and jap pumkins in the smaller one last year. Lettuce were great until a hail storm hit, tomatoes, potatoes and capsicum all went well. But the pumkin in a virgin patch went ok, although some fruit did not develop. I had about 8 vines, and at one point there were 25 fruit starting to grow. Some of the flowers did not even open. Others got bulb end rot. I got about 10 good pumkins off the patch, which I think is ok considering it is smaller than recommended at 2 by 3.8 meters, and it was the first time anything had been grown in the soil. Did I have a lesser success with my pumkins because the potatoes were close by? I did have to hand pollinate a bit. What are the main reasons for not growing spuds and pumkins together?

- Don

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