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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30 Jan 16, Shirlie (Australia - temperate climate)
I Planted my pumpkins on Cup Day, I still have no flowers but lots of vine trail plants. Am I doing anything wrong. 1st time pumpkin planter. Must admit I am over undated with very ripe juicy tomatoes.
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19 Jan 16, russell (Australia - temperate climate)
Very strong Queensland Blue plants but to many male flowers, not many female Any answers?
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11 Jan 16, bill (Australia - tropical climate)
I have a jap pumpkin It has produced two round pumpkins and two egg shaped pumpkins . The round ones are gray and the egg shaped are still green . They are from the same plant but different vines . Can any one tell me if this is normal .
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08 Jan 16, Glen Gilbert (Australia - arid climate)
My female fruits are turning yellow when they are about the size of a pea and flower is not even close to flowering. Can you help?
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06 Jan 16, Jill (Australia - temperate climate)
I have Butternut pumpkins and pumpkins have started to grow. I won't know if they are not fertilized until they go mushy. Can I trim the vines and leave the best pumpkins to develop? Does it hurt to trim off leaves if a vine seems too leafy ? Jill
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04 Jan 16, Katy (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm new to this gardening business - at least, I've never had much luck before. Possums or bugs have eaten everything I've tried to grow, but 2016 is my year to succeed in the garden! I would like to plant some pumpkin seeds. Am I too late to do this now? Do I need to wait until after next winter to get seedlings going, or will I still be OK to plant some in January in Sydney? TIA
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05 Jan 16, Kathleen (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If you get them in now Katy you should have some success. I'd probably go for the butternut or the golden nuggets. Good luck.
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30 Dec 15, des (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted 4 seeds, 3 have produced some small yellow pumpins,the other ,which i placed awire mesh around , hased produced 3 nice sized pumpkins.But, they are green,not yellow.Can you tell me why , and what to do? Thank you
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17 Nov 15, Andy (Australia - temperate climate)
My pumpkin plant has pumpkins that are about the size of lemons. They are now starting to go a bit soft and mushy and don't look healthy. What is reason for that? Thanking you in advance
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15 Jan 16, Rob (Australia - temperate climate)
G'day Andy, I had the same problem mate. Dr Google says that the female is not being pollinated from the male. Apparently both male and female grow on the same vine and the bees do the pollinating. May need to plant some bee attracting flowers
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Showing 501 - 510 of 833 comments
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Hi Cat, If you are happy to leave it where it is, and let it get big there, - then leave it there. Pumpkins don't like their roots being disturbed so moving it elsewhere may upset or kill it. Any move will delay it's growth for a bit anyway (transplant shock). If it is happy growing there than it is likely to stay happy and if it needs more sun will likely grow towards sunny areas. Pumpkins are hungry feeders and a compost heap is a great place for one to be planted due to all the nutrients available from the compost. With a pumpkin you will usually get both gender of flower on the same plant.They are pollinated by bees taking pollen from their male to female flowers. (you can replicate this yourself - google hand pollinating or see if you can find a you tube video of it. Pumpkins have such large flowers they are great to practice this technique on) Usually you will see a bunch of male flowers first for a few days. These are just a flower on a long skinny stalk. After a bit the female flowers will come along. Shorter stalk and with a mini fruit below the flower. If they pollinate the fruit will grow larger and the flower will drop off the end. If they don't get pollinated the fruit will shrivel as the flower dies, and both will just fall off the plant. Good luck.

- Brenda

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