Growing Pumpkin

Cucurbita sp. : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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

(Best months for growing Pumpkin in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • 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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20 Feb 20, N (Australia - temperate climate)
Live in Melbourne and had the same problem... Then I started hand pollination and fruits were setting on 95% of my female flowers
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20 Jan 20, anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I suggest you look up on the internet how to grow pumpkin. Look up how pumpkin needs bees to take pollen from the male flower to the female flower. Look to see if you have any plants flowers in your yard/neighbour that attract bees. Otherwise learn how to hand pollinate the female flowers.
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21 Jan 20, Peter Golding (Australia - temperate climate)
Thank you I will do so
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22 Feb 20, Lembit (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Does any one know why the we have to hand pollinate pumpkins - the bees used to do it when I was a child?
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15 Jan 20, Mel (Australia - arid climate)
I am on my third year of the same vine (essentially) with butternut. I'm currently trying a new angle with them and wondering if anyone has tried similar. I was losing a lot due to it sitting in water constantly. Grey water from kitchen sink, bathroom sink, dishwasher and washing machine all runs through the area. This year I have built a tunnel and have been weaving it through like a creeper and am now trying to train it to go up and around a fence. Has anyone had any success with "climbing" their pumpkins
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15 Jan 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If you let all that water into your vegie garden then your soil would be WAY TOO WET. I am surprised any thing grows in it. I suggest you move your garden bed or the run off water. Or raise the garden height. They will grow on fences or trellises. I have some Kent doing that now.
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03 Jan 20, Ros Young (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, this is the first year I'm growing Butternut pumpkins. I live in Tasmania near Launceston. I have lots of new leavers and the plants are spreading nicely. Can you tell me when I may get flowers please?
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04 Jan 20, anon (Australia - tropical climate)
I haven't grow butternut but I have Kent pumpkin growing now. The vine did grow out about 1.5-2.0m before the male flowers came out, a few days/week later the female flowers should come out. Hope you have bees otherwise learn about hand pollination.
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28 Dec 19, Cathy (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Something is eating the pumpkin leaves They were planted around mid November so they are around 6 weeks. Thought it might be snails but no sign of them. Any suggestions in what to look for? Cathy
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15 Jan 20, Mel (Australia - arid climate)
May be little lizards/geckos that is what I am currently fighting with
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Showing 171 - 180 of 825 comments
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I am just south of Townsville and planted Qld Blue pumpkin seeds in early April in good soil with correct PH levels. Plenty of space to run and good sunshine and watered daily. The plants grew well for about 6 weeks producing masses of mostly male flowers?? I had plenty of bees doing their job, but still only got two pumpkins that didn't reach maturity before the plants died off about 2-3 weeks ago. We did have a couple of 6deg nights but nothing lower. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Cheers

- LynnStinten

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