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

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08 Nov 13, Ron (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I am trying to grow Qld blue pumpkins in Brisbane but a fruit appears and after a while it turns yellow and dies. Do I have to pollinate myself because I can't think of any other reason.
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07 Dec 13, Laura (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Ron I am near Mackay and am having the same problem. I just self-pollinated this morning to see if this helps. Laura
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05 Oct 13, (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi all can anyone tell us how to treat what appears to be downy mildew on pumpkins rockmelons & cucumbers?? Jenniffer
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22 Oct 13, Andrew S (Australia - temperate climate)
Try a mix of milk and water ,,shaken and then sprayed on the mildew. Pick off and destroy some of the worse leaves. This might also help to get a little bit of air circulation around the plants.
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14 Sep 13, Ian McAuslan (Australia - temperate climate)
Why aren't potatoes and pumpkin compatible?
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08 Sep 13, Don (Australia - temperate climate)
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?
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15 Aug 13, Shaun (Australia - temperate climate)
hi David I've had success with butternut from seed for the past two years. I start the seeds off in spring, after I'm sure that the temperature overnight won't drop too low. I start the seeds off in small covered trays, usually on a window ledge to catch the morning sun. I plant out the seedlings around the end of September.
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15 Aug 13, David newdick (Australia - temperate climate)
Thanks for your comment. Weather wise our nearest would be either Ringwood 3134, or Scoresby 3179. Thank you.
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14 Aug 13, David (Australia - temperate climate)
We live in Croydon Vic. Would like info re Butternut pumpkin from seed. Thank you.
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20 Nov 13, phil (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi DAVID I live in Wantirna. Last year i had a very sucessful crop of butternuts grown from seed. I did find that i needed to hand pollinate though to get the good results. Seed generally take 7 days to germinate. Dont overwater early Hope this helps Phil
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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.

- Mike

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