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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19 Mar 22, Elizabeth Koch (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My pumpkins 2 Queensland blue have grown to about 6inches across, but now are starting to die. Lost a lot of smaller ones, about 2 to 3 inches big. Doing all the right things I think. The butternut have no problems.
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02 Apr 22, marco (Australia - tropical climate)
pumpkin trick is to deep plant the pumpkin from the start .dig a 1 foot plant in that, do not fill hole full of ground . let plant grow . when the plant is well above hole fill hole with soil .find the path u want the plant to grow and dont move . as the plant grows take out the runner branches .let grow for 3 to 4 meters then let 2 or 3 runners grow .when you have about 3 pumpkins nib any new runners ,keep pumpkin off soil use timber or tile .also as the plant grows the plant wants to grow up ,just put trowel on the growth ,this keeps it low to ground .why u grow 3 meters is because the leaves collect sun make plant strong for pumpkin to grow .also growing low to ground roots can appear at each branch that helps plant .i look at my plant at least once a week in growing time because u need to control its growth .i grew 3 big pumpkins for the first time and its worth all the attention .if u let it go wild the flowers just fall off or a pumpkin dies after a week or so and u end up with nothing
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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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Showing 31 - 40 of 679 comments
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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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