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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25 Mar 13, Laurie Thompson (Australia - temperate climate)
Windsor Black Pumpkin . Sylvia Allen did you have any luck with the Windsor Black Pumpkin for I want some seeds . This is a heritage pumpkin and was the Pumpkin emblem of Victoria . Herronswood ( Diggers also want this pumpkin seed . Did Karen have any success Laurie
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29 Mar 13, Sylvia Allan (Australia - arid climate)
Dear Laurie, I had a really good vine and it was flowering male flowers first the female flowers were just forming, then came the rain 8 inches in a week our whole property was flooded & all my pumpkins rotted though I had harvested 50 varieties. Windsor black among other varieties that take 120 days, I lost, I was devastated because I didn't have anymore seed.Sorry Any one out there who can supply me some seed I would be ever so grateful, & pay well of course. Sylvia Allan.
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25 Mar 13, JoeW (Australia - temperate climate)
I think the 'Pumpkin on vine' in the picture has detached from the vine. Also I would like to know where to get some Windsor Black pumpkin seeds Thanks
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27 Mar 13, Liz (Australia - temperate climate)
The pumpkin is still attached to the vine. It was in Chris's garden at the time. The mark you can see is the flower end.
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15 Mar 13, LilChicken (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Linda. I grew some last year and harvested when the fruit had turned yellow all over. Also, the skin should be hard enough that if you press your fingernail against it, there is no mark on the fruit. Kept in a cool place, they can keep for quite a few months after harvesting. Enjoy!
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13 Mar 13, Linda (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Would anyone know about growing Vegetable Spaghetti, I am growing it for the first time and have had success, but I am not sure how you determine when they are ready to come off the vine. Thanks.
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11 Mar 13, Allan (Australia - temperate climate)
We live at Ballarat, Vic. How long do QLD Grey pumpkins take to flower after planting? We have heaps of vines but no sign of flowers.
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26 Mar 13, Blair (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Allan I am for Colac and have found that the large pumpkins (QLD Gery and Jarrahdale) need to be pollinated and set fruit before the hot summer kicks in otherwise the pumpkin doesn't ripen to it's full flavour.
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05 Mar 13, Roy Zappia (Australia - temperate climate)
when to plant seed for Halloween pumpkins THANK YOU
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28 Feb 13, denise edwards (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
you'll see the vines dry and the stalks on the pumpkins shrivel also. leave the stalk on the pumpkin, for storing and to prevent rotting. put somewhere cool
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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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