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

31 Jul 11, kspace (Australia - temperate climate)
Are you sure about your advice? Nitrogen causes leafy growth. Phos sets fruit. If there is a bulge under the female flower then it has already been polinated and the pumpkin has begun to grow?
29 May 11, Helena Stam (Australia - temperate climate)
Took a chance with a large pumpkin with broken stalk that had been sitting in sun for a 2 weeks or so. It sounded hollow. Cut it and it was absolutely beautiful-thick fleshed-did I say it grew from vegie peelings etc, dug into garden last year? Sometimes my best crops grow from throw outs dug into garden. As happened with tomatoes this year. What a lovely surprise to have crops growing well-all without buying seedlings!
04 Jun 11, Hz (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Congrats Helena! Hollow sound means hard flesh inside - "cured", ie ready to pick and store.
29 May 11, Helena Stam (Australia - temperate climate)
I have been scrolling through pumpkin comments. I am not sure if this will help, but make sure your hands are very clean when pollinating. Also, I have a query- pumpkins growing well, but on some, main stalks have been broken off accidently. Have put these under shelter where sun gets them-when are they ripe? do they sound hollow, or are they supposed to sound full?
17 Apr 11, Thalass (Australia - temperate climate)
I have orange pumpkins growing. The fruit is still mostly green, but the plants are pale and dry - more or less dead it seems. Should i harvest now, or wait until they are more orange?
18 Apr 11, (Australia - temperate climate)
You should leave pumpkins until the stalk is completely dry and hard, then they keep without rotting.
27 Mar 11, emily (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a mildew problem on my pumpkins. started on rockmelons which didn't survive, and has passed on to my pumpkins. I have tried milk watered down and sprayed, and camomile tea spray but nothing seems to kill it. want to avoid using chemicals as i have a relatively organic garden
28 Mar 11, Stuart (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi there, Problems with mildews: What type is it ?? Is it Downy Mildew or Powdery Mildew? Downy has white spores growing under the leaf and Powdery has Greyish spores on top of the leaf. The rule of thumb is Downy uses Copper based sprays and Powdery uses Sulfur based sprays. Both of these chemicals are naturally occurring elements and are not harmful to people or environment. There are other sprays out there that can be used in between these sprays and should be encouraged as mildews can become resistant if you spray the same chemicals continuously. Hope this helps. Stoo...
26 Mar 11, Mark (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Have you heard of a tribumple pumpkin or a name similar.
31 Aug 11, Graham (New Zealand - temperate climate)
The name you want is Triamble. A grey pumpkin with deep grooves between usually three segments
Showing 691 - 700 of 825 comments

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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