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

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for Australia | for all countries
02 Feb 10, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi just like to say i love this site,Great to see so many people contributing..Coraki NSW
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27 Jan 10, Evelyn (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Ben I believe that if you place some of the leaves of the vine over the pumpkin this shades the fruit and less likely to split. In the hot Canberra summer I have had great success with part-shade for growing the pumpkins. A friend advised that overfertilizing during the growth phase is not good either. Better to have the soil fertilized at the planting stage rather than topping up in between. She may have a point.
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23 Jan 10, ben parker (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
do u know why pumpkin split just before they ripen?
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19 Jan 10, Dougie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
re Marlen Traynor - pumkins like a clay or heavy loam and not really a sandy soil. Add some clay by getting a few bags of brickie's loam that brickjlayers add to their "mud"or china clay as used by potters or animal feed manufacturers to your soil. Can't cause any harm.
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18 Jan 10, Kym (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I have recently planted pumpkin (approx 6-8 weeks ago) our first vegie patch. How do I know when they are ready to pick?
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13 Jan 10, Troy (Australia - temperate climate)
Can I just dry the seed and then plant it?
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18 Dec 09, kelly from adelaide (Australia - temperate climate)
hi, i want to grow a pumpkin plant. is it too late to plant a seedling? and will i be able to grow it in a large pot?
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12 Dec 09, Lisa van der Lee (Australia - temperate climate)
I have some pumpkin seedlings given to me by a friend. Prepared the soil a few days ago and I can't wait to get them into the ground. First shot at growing them. My cucumbers have been really successful so I am motivated to try pumpkin as we eat it alot and the kids love it. Fingers crossed they grow well!
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30 Oct 09, Russ (Australia - temperate climate)
the female flower is the one with the small pumpkin at the base. the others are male. i usually break off bits of the center of the male flower with the pollen and drop it in the middle of the female flower. Sounds like the pine needles are acting like mulch and stopping the sandy soil from drying out as fast.
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13 Oct 09, Marlene Traynor (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I am from Brisbane, but I actually live in Spokane, WA, which is snow country. I manage to get one pumpkin to grow a year, which keeps me going in seeds. I also have the problem of lots of pumpkins start, but then they turn yellow and quit growing. How do you tell the difference between male and female flowers so that I can start self polinating. Also, we have sprinkler systems so I can either give them a lot of water, or a little water. What do they like. Our soil is sandy and gets very hot in the summer. By accident, I found that I have better luck if I throw the seeds in my pine needle pile. If anyone can email me any tips I would be very grateful. Pumpkins are my little bit of home that I have with me and I would hate to run out of seeds. Marlene
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No I haven't been able to get any more Windsor Black seeds I only had a couple of seeds that were given to me, I planted them on the side of a very small hill in Heavy soil they grew and branched every where were getting male flowers And the female flowers were forming, but 10 days of solid rain the patch was absolutely saturated the rest of our property was flooded I thought they would be alright but thr female buds went yellow & dropped off. I prayed & begged for the vines not to die but 90% did.I was shattered. one vine in the row above it The McLeay Mongrel survived Another Victorian Pumpkin, was so sick I just forgot it, went down the Hill the other day the grass was 2 & 1/2 feet high and I trod on something in the grass and nearly fell over looked and found one McLeay Mongrel Pumpkin I have collected the seed from what has to be the weirdest Pumpkin ever, But probably the nicest eating Pumpkin ever, I would say it is probably the rarest as well. The McLeay Mongrel Is a very dry pumpkin with superb flavor much like Iron Bark sweeter & nuttier, I have looked at it it is more than likely a Triamble Iron Bark cross Maybe some Qld. Blue. I am offering 4 seeds up for Auction on eBay I do not have many seeds, so thought if I put a good reserve in them only the very serious growers would buy them. Be Warned it is not a pretty pumpkin but needs some serious pumpkin growers to keep it from extinction, it is a heavy solid pumpkin, looks like an Alien lava Rock. visit eBay Pumpkins just to see it. Regards. Sylvia.

- Sylvia Allan

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