Pumpkin Growing Guide

Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita maxima

Pumpkin

Crop Rotation Group

Cucurbits (Squash family) 

Soil

Rich soil with plenty of compost added. Often grown in widely spaced enriched hills, or in layered compost heaps that include some soil.

Position

Full sun.

Frost tolerant

No.

Feeding

After plants set fruit, feed twice, at two week intervals, with a water soluble plant food.

Spacing

Single Plants: 2' 11" (90cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 2' 11" (90cm) with 2' 11" (90cm) row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Sow seeds 1 inch deep in hills spaced 6 feet apart. After 2 weeks, thin to 2 plants per hill.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Fruit size varies with variety. Small "pie" pumpkins are easy to grow and produce nutritious, flavorful flesh.

Harvesting

When the plant die back or before freezing weather, cut pumpkins leaving a stub of stem attached. Wipe clean and store indoors.

Troubleshooting

Squash bugs, squash vine borers and cucumber beetles can be formidable pests. Cover young plants with row covers to exclude them.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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