Growing Pumpkin

Cucurbita sp. : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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

(Best months for growing Pumpkin in Australia - cool/mountain 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
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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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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13 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You could do both depending on how many squash you have. I had a couple of cuies that had 3 flushes of cuies. If I nipped the vine I would have only had 18 cuies - in the end I had 48.
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17 Oct 18, Vincenzo gattellari (Australia - temperate climate)
When the time for plants the grey pumpkin
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21 Oct 18, Paul (Australia - temperate climate)
Now
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17 Oct 18, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Most common is the Jarrahdale pumpkin - plant Sept to Dec and don't pick until vine starts dying - about 18-20 weeks from planting. Good fertile soil, lots of sun and plenty of water.
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28 Aug 18, Judy (Australia - temperate climate)
We live in maryborough Vic and would like to know when we should plant pumpkins. And do we need to have any other plants around for the bees to come
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30 Aug 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You found pumpkin and set your climate to temperate - check the monthly calendar planting/sowing guide. The big green capital P means when to plant. Try to notice if you have bees in your yard, if not look up on the internet - bee attracting flowers and plant some.
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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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