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

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07 Dec 13, Laura (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Ron I am near Mackay and am having the same problem. I just self-pollinated this morning to see if this helps. Laura
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05 Oct 13, (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi all can anyone tell us how to treat what appears to be downy mildew on pumpkins rockmelons & cucumbers?? Jenniffer
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22 Oct 13, Andrew S (Australia - temperate climate)
Try a mix of milk and water ,,shaken and then sprayed on the mildew. Pick off and destroy some of the worse leaves. This might also help to get a little bit of air circulation around the plants.
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14 Sep 13, Ian McAuslan (Australia - temperate climate)
Why aren't potatoes and pumpkin compatible?
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08 Sep 13, Don (Australia - temperate climate)
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?
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15 Aug 13, Shaun (Australia - temperate climate)
hi David I've had success with butternut from seed for the past two years. I start the seeds off in spring, after I'm sure that the temperature overnight won't drop too low. I start the seeds off in small covered trays, usually on a window ledge to catch the morning sun. I plant out the seedlings around the end of September.
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15 Aug 13, David newdick (Australia - temperate climate)
Thanks for your comment. Weather wise our nearest would be either Ringwood 3134, or Scoresby 3179. Thank you.
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14 Aug 13, David (Australia - temperate climate)
We live in Croydon Vic. Would like info re Butternut pumpkin from seed. Thank you.
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20 Nov 13, phil (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi DAVID I live in Wantirna. Last year i had a very sucessful crop of butternuts grown from seed. I did find that i needed to hand pollinate though to get the good results. Seed generally take 7 days to germinate. Dont overwater early Hope this helps Phil
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25 Jul 13, barry (Australia - temperate climate)
hi all I just wanted to know if pumpkin is compatible with tomato
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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

- marco

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