Growing Pumpkin

Cucurbita sp. : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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

(Best months for growing Pumpkin in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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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08 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Try growing them early in the planting season. Start seedlings in August Sept. Mulch around the plants and give a good watering twice a week. I don't grow things in summer too many problems. You probably have some disease or grubs. Do some research on the net.
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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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Japanese Pumpkins have really long runners (Vines) The male flowers always come first, then the females follow in a couple of weeks then you may have to hand pollinate them if there are not enough bees or insects. it is easy just pick a male flower and brush the pollen gently on the stigma of the female flower early in the morning, you can recognize the female flower because it has the small pumpkin under the flower. It is often suggested to cut the main long runner when about 10 feet long (3m) But here in the Lockyer valley the farmers plant acres of them & get tons of pumpkins, I am sure they don't go to that trouble, they just let them grow. A fertilizer PK of 6.6,6 is ideal as to much Phos. will grow all leaves and little or no pumpkins when the female flower isn't fertilized it will go black/brown and fall off. also if stung by fruit fly will do the same only if you break it open it will be full of fruit fly larvae. How ever when you have a pumpkin setting , you can grow it larger if you cut the vine runner off. can help protect it from fruit fly and birds by covering with straw or a larger pot with a bit of gauze in the bottom and place fruit fly traps. hope this helps. sgallan07

- sgallan07

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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. Gardenate 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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