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How long do pumpkins take to grow? And how much do you water Download Article
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them? Your questions, answered Andrew Carberry, MPH
Food Systems Expert
Coauthored by Andrew Carberry, MPH and Luke Smith, MFA
Last Updated: May 15, 2023 References Approved
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Pumpkins are a Halloween staple, and their knack for creating rich pies and savory veggie
dishes is one heck of a bonus. They’re also a fairly simple crop to sow and harvest, and you
can do just that in your very own backyard! We’ll show you how to prep your soil, plant your
Johnny Williams
pumpkins, care for them as they grow big and plump, then harvest and store them in time for
Jun 17, 2016
October—or whenever you’d like to enjoy them! "Usable and wellpresented information for a
limitedexperience grower. Video is very
A DV E RTI S E ME NT good thanks. I am a writer..." more
More success stories Share yours!
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or an Empath Does He Like Me
Quiz Quiz
Plant your pumpkins inside of dirt mounds in widely spaced rows about 120 days before you Take Quiz Take Quiz
plan to harvest them.
Water your pumpkins once a week, or when the soil is dry to the touch. Give them enough
to make the soil damp, but not so much that it floods.
When the pumpkins are bright orange and hard, cut them off at their stems and let them sit
in the sun for 1 week. Then store them in a cool, dark place. What Is My Am I Gay Quiz
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Part
1 Soil Prep and Seed Germination
Zodiac
Why Can't I Sleep Compatibility
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1 Plan to plant your pumpkins 120 days before harvest. Pumpkins take at least 100
days to reach full maturity, so think about when you’d like to harvest them, and plant
How to
your seeds about 120 days before then. In addition, pumpkin seeds don’t germinate in cold
Prepare for a Week
soil, so plan to plant them after the chance of frost has passed, usually around mid to late How to Long School Field
Celebrate World Trip to Washington
May.[1] Bee Day D.C
Plant a first crop in late May, then a second crop in early July to ensure you have
mature, healthy pumpkins ready to harvest around and through Halloween.
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2 Choose a spacious planting spot that receives 6 hours of sun each day.
Pumpkin vines need a good amount of space to grow and creep, so choose a site
with at least 20 or 30 square feet (1.9 or 2.8 m2) of room. In addition, select a site that
Forget Boredom! 8
receives at least 6 hours of sun, and which has welldraining soil that doesn’t have standing Exciting Tips to Can’t Wake Up?
Spice Up a Long Try These Morning
water after it rains.[2]
Distance Tricks to Get Out
Select somewhere a bit apart from other plants in your garden, since pumpkins Relationship of Bed
tend to stifle most other nearby plants.
Alternatively, plant pumpkins in large, 2–3 feet (0.61–0.91 m) containers to save
Featured Articles
space or grow them indoors.
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3 Weed the planting site and prepare welldraining soil. Manually weed the site
thoroughly, using a trowel and your hands to pull them out by the roots. Till a How to Safely
Remove Stubborn
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for an Award or
balanced fertilizer, such as a 191919 formula, into the soil (according to package Earwax at Home Special Occasion
instructions). Then, amend your soil to increase drainage by mixing in compost or garden
gypsum according to the instructions on the compost or gypsum packaging.[3]
Watch Articles
In addition, test your soil’s pH with a test kit, then raise it or lower it to around 66.8.
Use garden lime (according to package instructions) to raise soil pH, and mix in
extra compost to lower pH
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4 Choose a pumpkin variety that suits your needs. Pumpkins come in a surprising
number of varieties, and different varieties serve different purposes. Some are great
for carving, others make fabulous pies, and certain varieties are grown purely for
decoration. Their growing methods are largely the same, so pick your variety according to 2 Easy Ways to
Clear and Filter How to Straighten
your wants.[4] Twitter Crooked Teeth
Notifications Without Braces
Edible pumpkins, or pumpkins for pies: Sugar Treat, Peanut Pumpkins, New
England Pie, Winter Luxury.
Large decorative pumpkins great for carving: Autumn Gold, Magic Lantern, Jacko
Lantern, Howden Field. How to Tell if
Quick Fixes to Chicken Is Done:
Small decorative pumpkins, often called “mini pumpkins”: Baby Bear, Spooktacular, Repair Broken Using a Food
Jack Be Little. Nails Wherever & Thermometer &
Whenever Other Signs
5 Germinate your seeds 3 weeks before planting to give them a head start. While
pumpkins grow just fine from storebought seeds, or seeds harvested from other
pumpkins, germinating these seeds into sprouts can help them root and thrive when they
eventually are transplanted. Bury your seeds 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep in containers that are 3
inches (7.6 cm) wide, using standard, damp potting soil.[5]
Keep the soil damp (wet to the touch, but not flooded) for 3 weeks as the sprouts
grow).
Keep the containers in a warm, sunny spot to encourage germination.
Transplant the sprouts into your garden when they’ve grown 34 leaves.
Transplant the sprouts into your garden when they’ve grown 34 leaves.
A DV E RTI S E ME NT
Part
2 Planting Pumpkins
1 Space pumpkins in rows about 10 ft (3.0 m) apart. If your pumpkin variety grows
along creeping vines, space the hills in the same row 5 feet (1.5 m) apart, and space
the rows 10 feet (3.0 m) apart for large pumpkin varieties. Space smaller varieties or “bush
type” pumpkins in rows 8 feet (2.4 m) apart.[6]
2 Create several 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) tall mounds 8 feet (2.4 m) apart. Gather
nearby dirt into a small “hill” into which you’ll plant your seeds. Make each hill about 1
foot (0.30 m) across. This elevates the seed above the rest of the soil, helping the sun
warm and germinate it more easily.[7]
3 Plant 23 seeds 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) deep in each mound. With your thumb,
create 23 small holes about 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) apart in the center of the
mounds. Then place a single seed into each small hole, and cover them with soil.[8] It
doesn't matter which end of the seeds points up. If the seeds are viable, they will grow
either way.
If you're planting germinated seedlings, dig a hole in the mound large enough for
the root ball, then place the seedling so that the top roots are level with the soil, and
cover them with dirt. Only plant 1 seedling per mound.
4 Water and cover the planted seeds with compost or landscape fabric. Saturate
each mound with water, until it’s wet to the touch but not pooling or flooding. Then, to
keep the soil warm and promote germination, cover each hill with a square of black
landscape fabric. Pin the fabric to the soil on each side of the hill, and cut a hole about 6–
12 inches (15–30 cm) wide where the seeds will sprout.[9] Alternatively, cover each hill with
0.5 inches (1.3 cm) of compost to warm the soil and add nutrients.
If you composted the soil before planting, or are planting from germinated
seedlings, you can skip this step. It won’t hurt to do it anyway, though!
With proper care, the pumpkin seeds will sprout in about 12 weeks.
A DV E RTI S E ME NT
Part
3 Caring for Pumpkins
1 Give the pumpkins about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week. Water the pumpkin
plants any time the soil appears dry. Thoroughly saturate the soil when it feels dry to
the touch. Water the plants only once or twice a week, and give them plenty when you do
(until the soil is damp but not pooling), rather than giving them a light water every day.[10]
Watering deeply but infrequently helps the moisture reach deep down to the roots.
Water in the morning to encourage soil retention and prevent fungus.
Avoid soaking the plants’ leaves. This encourages the growth of a fungus called
powdery mildew, which can cause the leaves to wither and the plant to die.
When the pumpkins themselves begin to grow and turn orange, decrease the
amount of water you use by about half. Stop watering entirely about a week before
you plan to harvest the pumpkins.
2 Add a nitrogenheavy fertilizer once the pumpkins send out vines. Till a 3400
mixture nitrogen fertilizer into the soil around the base of the plant. Refer to the
instructions on the fertilizer packaging to determine how much to use, but in general add
about 1 pound (450 g) of fertilizer per 25 square feet (2.3 m2) of soil.[11]
Take care not to let the leaves touch the fertilizer, as the heavy nitrogen content
may burn or damage them.
Only fertilize the soil twice: once when preparing the soil, and again when you spot
vines.
3 Prune away extra pumpkin flowers and pull up any weeds. In order to grow big,
healthy pumpkins, pull up any weeds as you encounter them. Weeds divert nutrients
away from the pumpkins.[12] In addition, once the fruits are at least 6–8 inches (15–20 cm),
cut away all but the largest one, and cut any additional buds to divert nutrients to the single
fruit.[13]
To grow for numbers rather than size, select 23 fruits to keep, and cut away the
others. Note that male flowers—those that contain pollen—often fall off on their
own.
Place a bit of cardboard under the fruit to keep it raised above the soil, preventing a
condition called “soil rot” that deteriorates the fruit.
4 Control pests and diseases manually, if possible. In order to make sure your
plants produce healthy pumpkins, monitor them throughout the growing process. If
you notice powdery molds on the leaves or fruits, apply plantsafe fungicide according to
the instructions on the packaging.[14] Spray insecticidal soaps on the plant to combat most
insects, like aphids. Also watch for these other problems:
Check the pumpkin leaves and blossoms for beetles, which eat plant tissue and
ultimately kill the pumpkin plant. Scrape them off the plant a few times a week.
Add a 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) layer of mulch around your pumpkins to keep weed
pressure down and conserve soil moisture.
If your pumpkins begin to wilt prematurely, or even rot, remove the plant from the
soil and dispose of it in a plastic garbage bag. These plants are most likely
diseased, and cannot be treated.
A DV E RTI S E ME NT
Part
4 Harvesting and Storing the Pumpkins
1 Cut the pumpkins off the vines when the stem hardens. Harvest your pumpkins in
October, when their stems have hardened and the fruit’s exterior is firm, with a rich
orange color, and the vine has withered some. Use a pair of garden shears or a lopper to
snip the pumpkin off the vine about 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) from the base of the
pumpkin, where the stem attaches to the fruit.[15]
If the pumpkins are yellow or soft and spongy to the touch, give them another week
before checking them again. If you harvest them too soon, they won't keep for more
than a few days before spoiling.
Avoid breaking or snapping off the stems entirely, which causes the pumpkins to
rot.
2 Let the pumpkins sit in the patch for 12 weeks after harvesting. Before you bring
those pumpkins indoors, keep them outside, right where you snipped them, for 714
days, or until their rinds develop a firm texture. This helps preserve the pumpkins, allowing
you to store them for even longer.[16]
Place the pumpkins on a raised pallet to keep them above the soil and out of reach
of pests.
3 Store the pumpkins in a cool, dry place to preserve them. Keep your harvested
pumpkins away from humidity, damp, and direct sunlight to keep them ripe and
presentable for up to several weeks. A basement or cellar is ideal. They do not need
refrigeration.[17]
Apply a mild chlorine rinse before storage to discourage mold and fungi. Mix of 1
cup (240 mL) of household chlorine bleach and 5 gallons (18.9 L) of cold water, and
use a spray bottle to spritz the pumpkins with it.[18]
A DV E RTI S E ME NT
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How long does it take from planting a seed to harvesting a pumpkin?
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Don't seeds need light for germination? Won't covering them with compost stop them
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Andrew Carberry, MPH
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Thank you for your feedback.
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What is the difference between a male and female pumpkin flower?
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The female has a bulb right underneath the flower. The males are thin and straight.
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A DV E RTI S E ME NT
Tips
Handpollinate your pumpkins by using a paintbrush to gently collect pollen from male
flowers and brushing them onto the center of female flowers (those without pollen).[19]
Make your pumpkins easier to store bymaking pumpkin puree. Then use the puree to make
pie, soup or freeze it for up to several months to use later.
Warnings
Avoid potent insecticides as much as possible. Pumpkins rely on bees for pollination, and
harsh insecticides may kill or deter bees from your pumpkins.[20]
Things You'll Need
Compost
Germination containers
Pumpkin seeds
Shovel, trowel, spade
Landscape fabric
Nitrogen fertilizer
Fungicide
Insecticidal sap
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A DV E RTI S E ME NT
References
1. ↑ https://web.extension.illinois.edu/pumpkins/growing.cfm
2. ↑ http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/publications/growingpumpkinsforthehome
garden
3. ↑ https://extension.umd.edu/resource/soilhealthdrainageandimprovingsoil
4. ↑ http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/publications/growingpumpkinsforthehome
garden
5. ↑ https://extension.umd.edu/resource/pumpkinsandgiantpumpkinshomegarden
6. ↑ https://extension.wvu.edu/lawngardeningpests/gardening/wvgardenguide/growing
pumpkinsinwestvirginia
7. ↑ https://extension.wvu.edu/lawngardeningpests/gardening/wvgardenguide/growing
pumpkinsinwestvirginia
8. ↑ https://extension.wvu.edu/lawngardeningpests/gardening/wvgardenguide/growing
pumpkinsinwestvirginia
9. ↑ https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/pumpkinsinthegarden
More References (14)
About This Article
Coauthored by:
Andrew Carberry, MPH
Food Systems Expert
This article was coauthored by Andrew Carberry, MPH and by wikiHow staff writer, Luke
Smith, MFA. Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at
the Wallace Centere at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food
systems since 2008 and has experience working on farmtoschool projects, food safety
programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the
College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the
University of Tennessee. This article has been viewed 596,530 times.
How helpful is this?
Coauthors: 45
Updated: May 15, 2023
Views: 596,530
Categories: Growing Squashes
In other languages:
Español:cultivar una calabaza Bahasa Indonesia:Menanam Labu
Italiano:Coltivare la Zucca Nederlands:Een pompoen kweken
Português:Cultivar Abóboras ﺍﻟﻳﻘﻁﻳﻥ ﺯﺭﺍﻋﺔ:ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺑﻳﺔ
Français:faire pousser des citrouilles Tiếng Việt:Trồng bí ngô
(courges) 日本語:カボチャを栽培する
Русский:выращивать тыкву िह몭ी:कद् ू
द उगाएँ (Grow a Pumpkin)
中文:种南瓜 한국어:호박 기르는 방법
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