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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07 Jan 19, john colee (Australia - tropical climate)
hi when do i plant kent pumpkins in townsville
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08 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - tropical climate)
For pumpkin it says April to Jul - I would plant April May.
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26 Dec 18, (Australia - temperate climate)
I am growing qld blue and have massed if vie but no flowers? Any clues??
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22 Dec 18, Nichole Stratton (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Can you eat them unripe if they have been picked too soon?
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29 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Will have little taste.
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20 Dec 18, Ernest (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Are south african pumpkin seeds safe to eat? If yes,is it all vatie ties? Thank you! !
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19 Dec 18, Gerard (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Is it safe to start growing butternut in January?
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12 Dec 18, Karen Cadle (New Zealand - temperate climate)
My squash is growning like a trifford do I just let it grow or would it pay to pinch it out
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13 Dec 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You could do both depending on how many squash you have. I had a couple of cuies that had 3 flushes of cuies. If I nipped the vine I would have only had 18 cuies - in the end I had 48.
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04 Dec 18, Robyn (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
I live in Te Anau and wonder what is a faster maturing pumpkin variety?? We had a good crop of pumpkins growing last year, but a rogue frost in mid March killed off the plant and the pumpkin crop did not ripen, and the weather is only coming good now (early Dec) to plant.
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Showing 271 - 280 of 833 comments
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Pumpkins take about 3 and a 1/2 to 4 months to harvest from seed planting. This will give you an idea whether you will have ripe pumpkins before winter. They like lots of water and manure and often thrive from seeds in the compost. Water them at the roots to avoid mildew problems. If it is a running variety you can turn the vines back on themselves to contain them if you need to. Ripe pumpkins will have a dry stalk. Harvesting after the first frost (if you get them) will make them sweeter. Any unripe pumpkins are not likely to keep very long so you can make and freeze pumpkin soup or grate them into recipe sized quantities and freeze them to replace zucchinis in savoury muffins or slice. For your gardening helps and any questions don't hesitate to refer to this site or send us a line. Happy Gardening!

- John

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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