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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22 Mar 09, Martha May (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have been looking for the Ironbark Pumpkin too. I would appreciate Ray Selby pointing me to who has the seeds I would like to buy them as I don't have any seeds to swap yet as we recently moved from the tropics to Canberra and I have just made 3 large above ground beds. Not sure what pumpkins do any good here but happy to give them a try, come September?Oct. I have other pumpkins lined up to see what survives here. But would like the Ironbarks as they are a delicious pumpkin for all cooking. If you can help thanks.
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21 Mar 09, Ray Selby (Australia - tropical climate)
We have hundreds of Ironbark Pumpkins and sell them at the markets in Beenleigh, Brisbane...if that is any help Elle. Alternately we can organise seeds for you.
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19 Mar 09, Elle Allardice (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have been hunting for ages for the seeds of the Iron bark pumpkin, and so far have not been successful. Does anyone know where I can get them? They are a beautiful dry excellent roaster, and make great pumpkin wine! I also am growing something that lookes like a Jap, but has the shape of a butternut. They were self sown, too.
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16 Mar 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Ferolyn: I pick the male flowers first thing in the morning, peel the petals off then rub the female flowers (pumpkins, luffa, zucchini etc)
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14 Mar 09, Ferolyn (Australia - temperate climate)
From Adelaide here. Got butternut plant flowering lots now. But the ants are always on the flower. Do i have to rub the male flowers on to the females every day? Sometimes the petals on the females have already closed by later in the afternoon... is it alright to open the petals to pollinate them...?
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25 Jan 09, Kylie (Australia - temperate climate)
I have planted saved seeds from organic butternut and jap pumpkins and they are growing well...question is, one variety (not sure which) is spreading the way I know pumpkin vines to spread, and the other is growing in a bush shape similar to zucchini with little yellow balls (which I'm presuming to be pumpkins) clustered in the middle. They get to the size of a golf ball and then start to shrivel up...mmmm...mysterious. Appreciate any help. Thank you in advance!
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24 Jan 09, sue (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
i really need some simple information please..pumpkins are doing well and getting large, but i have no idea when to take them of the vine..someone told me whenever i want depending on the size but im not so sure..can someone please tell me!! Isnt it just lovely growing these...so childlike really..but what pleasure to see them "walk" accross the garden!!
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17 Jan 09, kez (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted some heirloom pumpkin seeds and the plants were looking great. Female flowers were looking great and opened early in the mornings but the male flowers were too immature to use to hand polinate. They simply had no polen when I opened up the flowers! any suggestions? I'm thinking i need to put some potash in the soil maybe
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14 Jan 09, Radhika (Australia - temperate climate)
I am ecstatic to see that our first attempt at 'golden nugget' pumpkins this year are flourishing, and appear to have ripened. But do I harvest them once the vine has died or do I pick them before then? ( I'm worried they might be more prone to rot etc as they are small)
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11 Jan 09, kym matulick (Australia - temperate climate)
my mother only buys butternut pumpkin and puts all her vegie scraps in the ground so she has a lot of pumpkins that came up. however she cant understand why they are all the colour of jap pumpkins but the shape of butternuts. she has a huge crop of pumpkins on the vines which is great but what are they????? can anyone help
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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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