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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14 Jun 08, Rebecca (Unknown climate)
Thanks Liz. Tried the hand polinating. Fingers crossed. Still would like to know when I can tell my pumpkin is ready.to harvest.
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05 Jun 08, Liz (Unknown climate)
You can tell female flowers because they have a tiny pumpkin shape behind the flower even before fertilisation. You may also be suffering from a lack of bees, Rebecca, and need to hand pollinate.
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04 Jun 08, Rebecca (Unknown climate)
I have only managed to grow 1 pumpkin. Although I have a lot of follage. Not sure of which very variety it is. When do I harvest? How do you tell which is male or female?
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07 Mar 08, Donna (Unknown climate)
My baby pumpkins were dying on vine. Found out we needed to tickle female flowers with male ones to pollinate because we don't have enough bees.
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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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