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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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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18 Nov 15, Jenny (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Andy, Your pumpkin babies may not have been pollinated. The female flowers produce the small pumpkin but unless it is pollinated from the male flower the pumpkin does not mature. I always find if I do it myself I don't lose any small pumpkins. I just look every morning and collect the pollen from the male flowers and wipe it carefully all the way around the female flowers, including inside the little "arches". You are meant to use a little brush but I often just use part of the pumpkin leaf, the pollen collects on it very well and always comes off in the female. Hope that helps. Jenny
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17 Nov 15, Sue cox (Australia - arid climate)
I am growing Queensland blue pumpkin, I was told to feed the plant with potash. You can get this from a garden shop. It worked, so far I have had lots of flowers. Still to early to have fruit yet, here's hoping.
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12 Nov 15, Joseph (Australia - arid climate)
I live in Rockingham w a My b/nuts are just starting to flower. Can plant all year round July a good time to put seed in. I started late this year. regards Joe
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07 Nov 15, lyn brearley (Australia - temperate climate)
I have grown some butternuts from seed, big, healthy looking plants, huge leaves but no flowers, help.
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04 Nov 15, Joseph (Australia - temperate climate)
How do u combat mould?
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03 Nov 15, larretta (Australia - temperate climate)
what is them seedling time for Pumpkin Sweet Grama?
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01 Nov 15, Barry J Hewitrt (Australia - temperate climate)
Last year 2014 I planted some Queensland blue Pumpkins at the end of the harvest I picked 22 pumpkins, but much to my dismay a lot of them were very woody why would this be can any one give me an answer as they weren't very good for pumpkin soup. Cheers Bazza
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15 Nov 15, Ricki (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Barry, as I understand it pumpkins can be woody if they've been cross-pollinated with other types of pumpkins. Do you have others planted nearby? Perhaps a neighbour does? Hope this helps, cheers, Ricki.
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Showing 511 - 520 of 835 comments
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Geraldine, each pumpkin plant should produce both male and female flowers. The earliest flowers that emerge will be male and all up there will be more of them produced in total than female. You may or may not have to encourage pollination. If you have bees hanging around they'll do it for you. Consider making your vegie patch more enticing to bees by companion planting some bright flowers (like calendula, nasturtiums, french marigolds, sunflowers, etc) to attract them. Anyway, the way to tell the difference between male and female flowers (in case you didn't already know) is that female flowers will generally have a bulbous base near the stalk, below the flower. Also, since they take up a lot of room, have you considered training the pumpkin vine along a fence or up the side of a garden shed? A workmate of mine had them fruiting up on his shed roof last summer.

- Jaci

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