Growing Pumpkin

Cucurbita sp. : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S S                
        T              
        P              

(Best months for growing Pumpkin in USA - Zone 5a 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

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for USA | for all countries
07 Jun 22, Meghan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
marco. you dig a hole and plant pumpkin seeds? don't you plant in a mound? can you plant seeds now?
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23 Feb 22, JUDITH MCPHERSON (Australia - temperate climate)
Why would I not be getting female flowers on my butternut vines?
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25 Feb 22, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Female flowers follow the male ones and it sometimes takes a few days for them to start.
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13 Dec 21, Glen barlow (Australia - temperate climate)
What should you put under the pumpkin to stop it rotting on the bare ground
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31 Dec 21, FaithCeleste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
I generally just place an old piece of wood (1" thick x 4" wide any length I have), or maybe an old small crate to lift it off the ground: it's really the soil getting onto the pumpkin that causes the decay.
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12 Feb 22, Sarah Akins (Australia - temperate climate)
I’ve been putting old seedling pots under them. Good way to reuse the plastic.
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14 Dec 21, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Some thing that allows water to drain away quickly,
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30 Nov 21, Robert (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi there just wont to know wot is the latest you can plant pumpkins in south Australia
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07 Dec 21, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Work out your climate zone and then set it then go to Pumpkins
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18 Aug 21, Steven Mcgonigal (Australia - temperate climate)
What season can you grow pumpkins parks New South Wales
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Showing 51 - 60 of 833 comments
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Geraldine, each pumpkin plant should produce both male and female flowers. The earliest flowers that emerge will be male and all up there will be more of them produced in total than female. You may or may not have to encourage pollination. If you have bees hanging around they'll do it for you. Consider making your vegie patch more enticing to bees by companion planting some bright flowers (like calendula, nasturtiums, french marigolds, sunflowers, etc) to attract them. Anyway, the way to tell the difference between male and female flowers (in case you didn't already know) is that female flowers will generally have a bulbous base near the stalk, below the flower. Also, since they take up a lot of room, have you considered training the pumpkin vine along a fence or up the side of a garden shed? A workmate of mine had them fruiting up on his shed roof last summer.

- Jaci

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