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 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

06 Jan 21, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
Most veggies are grown as an annual. To have one 12mths old is a bit unusual. The vine would be very long now before the flowers appear, maybe the plant can't sustain that. Pumpkin zucchini and probably watermelons and rock melons etc When they flower they start with male flowers to start attracting the bees, then produce female flowers. The female flower is only open for one day generally and will be shut by lunch time. So it needs a few visits from bees in that 2-4 hrs to fertilise the female flower. Or needs hand pollination on that day. I live at Bundy and I grew pumpkin through last summer and it was 3-4 degrees hotter last summer than this year so far. I think you just have an old plant that has had it's day. After you pick this years crop think about planting next year in the spring, your vines will be well establish going into summer. It will also allow you to refresh the soil with compost, manures fertiliser etc.
23 Nov 20, Linda (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hello, I threw pumpkin seeds onto a mound of organic soil. The vine is strong and healthy however the fruit forms but then dies off. I have given it some veggie fertilizer and worm juice. I thought that pollination wouldn't be an issue if the fruit is forming. We live on the Gold Coast and the pumpkin patch gets the morning sun actually its in the sun for most of the day.
24 Nov 20, Ruth (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Your flowers are possibly not pollinated and will nnot mature. Pick a male flower, strip back the petals and tickle the female flowers with it and you should get mature fruit
24 Nov 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If the soil was good to start with then it didn't need the extra fertiliser.
24 Nov 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
By the sounds of it you don't have any bees in your garden. Read up about how pumpkin pollinates. You can do it by hand. Go through the comments here, many comments about pollinating them. Female pumpkin flower is only open for 1 day and generally in the morning. Water low and not all over the plant.
12 Oct 20, Lisa (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
How close is ‘close to’? I was thinking of planting pumpkin in a bed that is next to a bed with potatoes. The beds are 50 cm apart but I have wondered how define next to or close to in companion planting theory
13 Oct 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just consider that some pumpkin plants need up to about 8m wide garden bed to sprawl out.
05 Oct 20, Sean (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Can I plant pumpkins in raised beds and let them trail over the edge? Thanks
10 Oct 20, brendan (Australia - temperate climate)
yes. I grow every year in 1/2 44 gallon drums which i have composted over the winter. easy to keep watered
09 Sep 20, Trish (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I'm in temperate climate Melbourne and wish to grown pumpkins in a grow bag due to limited space, any advice on bag size to buy, was looking at the rectangle grow bags would 60 x 30 x 20 be suitable ? Thanks Trish
Showing 71 - 80 of 684 comments

I have had several pumpkin plants pop up from seeds. I don’t know where the seeds came from as I’ve never grown pumpkins in the past. Never the less the plants grew vigorously with lots of leaves and flowers. I noticed plenty of bees around so assumed pollination would occur, however no pumpkins ever appear. I guess an experienced gardener would know what’s happening. I’m a beginner so I would welcome some information. Thanks.

- David James

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