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 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

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19 Mar 11, arthur stevens (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Why do the baby pumpkins keep falling off the plant the have been enokulated.
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26 Feb 11, Kath (Australia - temperate climate)
We have the same problem here in Brisbane, after hand pollinating the fruit goes yellow and dies off.
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26 Feb 11, Rob (Australia - temperate climate)
Living in Brisbane planted in November, plenty of male and female flowers have found after hand pollinating female flowers with small fruit that is turns yellow and dies. Has anyone know what the problem might be.
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22 Feb 11, Cheryl (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have a jap pumpkin growing, my problem is that there is only male flowers growing on the vine, when the female flowers grow they die of, can anyone tell why this is happening, do I need to pull it out and start again?
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26 Feb 11, Pam (Australia - temperate climate)
I had the same problem. I picked the male flower and poked it in the female flower to pollinate it. It worked I ended up with lovely big pumpkins.
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20 Feb 11, tony (Australia - temperate climate)
Have a few Japanese pumpkin 300-400mm diameter. Some are developing 1mm crescent shaped cracks due to ?? Only been watering every 2 or 3 days for 15min. Any comments or advice :)?
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29 Jan 11, Kev (Australia - temperate climate)
Planted Jap pumpkin seedlings (from nursery). Have plenty of runners but no flowers. Any advice on why & what to do would be appreciated.
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17 Jan 11, julie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Ironbark seeds can be obtained from eden seeds and are very good.
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24 Nov 10, Sylvia Allan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I want to buy Windsor Black Pumpkin seeds, Brian Jarrahdale pumpkin seeds, Grey Crown, Crown Prince, Wampanura? or any crowned pumkin seeds, any one know where I can buy them, please? Sylvia.
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11 Jun 23, Rod warren (Australia - tropical climate)
I have recently retired and would like to grow some black Winsor pumkins
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Showing 571 - 580 of 684 comments
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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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