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

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10 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - tropical climate)
Usually the un-pollinated little pumpkin only grows to about 50-70mm then shrivels up and dies. I had one grow to about 6
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08 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Try growing them early in the planting season. Start seedlings in August Sept. Mulch around the plants and give a good watering twice a week. I don't grow things in summer too many problems. You probably have some disease or grubs. Do some research on the net.
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07 Jan 19, john colee (Australia - tropical climate)
hi when do i plant kent pumpkins in townsville
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08 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - tropical climate)
For pumpkin it says April to Jul - I would plant April May.
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26 Dec 18, (Australia - temperate climate)
I am growing qld blue and have massed if vie but no flowers? Any clues??
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22 Dec 18, Nichole Stratton (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Can you eat them unripe if they have been picked too soon?
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29 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Will have little taste.
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20 Dec 18, Ernest (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Are south african pumpkin seeds safe to eat? If yes,is it all vatie ties? Thank you! !
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19 Dec 18, Gerard (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Is it safe to start growing butternut in January?
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12 Dec 18, Karen Cadle (New Zealand - temperate climate)
My squash is growning like a trifford do I just let it grow or would it pay to pinch it out
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Showing 271 - 280 of 835 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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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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