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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02 Sep 08, Trevor (Australia - temperate climate)
brendan - have not tried the clothes line, but have tried a pergola of sorts. Grew vine up on to shed and worked a treat, higher, more sunlight.
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11 Aug 08, brendan (Australia - temperate climate)
has anybody ever grown a pumpkin vine up a pergola or clothes line with any success, and if so, how is the best way to go about it? thanks.
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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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Showing 831 - 836 of 836 comments
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Most veggies are grown as an annual. To have one 12mths old is a bit unusual. The vine would be very long now before the flowers appear, maybe the plant can't sustain that. Pumpkin zucchini and probably watermelons and rock melons etc When they flower they start with male flowers to start attracting the bees, then produce female flowers. The female flower is only open for one day generally and will be shut by lunch time. So it needs a few visits from bees in that 2-4 hrs to fertilise the female flower. Or needs hand pollination on that day. I live at Bundy and I grew pumpkin through last summer and it was 3-4 degrees hotter last summer than this year so far. I think you just have an old plant that has had it's day. After you pick this years crop think about planting next year in the spring, your vines will be well establish going into summer. It will also allow you to refresh the soil with compost, manures fertiliser etc.

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