How To Grow Pumpkins

Pumpkin, squash, and zucchini are closely related and all are part of the Cucurbitaceae family (Cucurbits for short). Because of this they all have very similar cultivation requirements, and can often be confused with each other. They love a full sun position, moisture-retentive soil and somewhere out of cold winds. However, there are some key differences. In this growing guide, we delve into pumpkin seeds. Learn how to grow pumpkins, when to plant them, and when to harvest your pumpkins for the very best results.

Pumpkin seeds require nice warm soil to germinate optimally and may struggle to sprout otherwise. If your outdoor temperatures are still dropping below 20C at night, consider starting your seeds indoors on top of a HeatPad for the best results.

Sow 2-3 seeds 12mm deep from late August to November, and April to July in tropical regions using the spacings recommended on your packet (each variety may have different measurements). Once fully germinated, thin seedlings and leave the strongest one.

Most pumpkins have a sprawling habit so they need space to grow, we suggest planting pumpkins at one end of your patch so they can grow outwards.

If you want to keep the plant more contained, gently lift the stems before they set roots and redirect them into the area that you want. Along the bottom of your fence line is a great spot.

For small gardens, opt for varieties such as Pumpkin Small Sugar and Pumpkin Golden Nugget that have a smaller footprint.

Planting Pumpkins

When growing pumpkins, support the fruit on top of a piece of tile. This is useful in wetter seasons if you don’t want the fruits to rot. Keep the soil constantly moist by watering around the plants, not over them. This should help discourage mildew that often springs up on these crops.

Make sure to pinch out the tips of the main shoots when they are 60cm long to encourage branching.

Nutrient Requirements

Cucurbits are hungry crops and require plenty of food to thrive. If starting the seedlings in pots make sure you feed the young plants weekly with a liquid fertiliser so they have the best start to life, otherwise, the leaves will show signs of deficiency quite quickly.

Ensure you improve your garden soil with a mixture of compost and well-rotted manure before planting, incorporating it well and removing weeds as you go. A soil pH of around 6.0 to 7.5 is ideal for these types of crops.

Throughout the growing season, top dress your crops every 6 weeks or so with a slow-release organic feed. Pelletised poultry manures formulated with trace elements are great and should keep the crop well-fed, too. It can also be helpful to apply a potassium-rich feed around the fruiting period, which promotes fruit development. Apply this fortnightly in a liquid solution around your plants.

Harvest your pumpkins when the vines die off leaving as much stem as possible. This will extend the storage time of them.