Vegetable Grow Guides
How to Grow Organic Pumpkins from Seed
Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. moschata
About Pumpkins
Pumpkins are sprawling warm-season vines. Spec boxes that say “plant height 20–30 ft” are describing vine length (spread), not how tall the plant stands. Give each plant about 20 square feet, or grow smaller types on a trellis.
When to Plant
Sow after last frost when soil is 70°F. Count back from the date you want ripe fruit (often 90–120 days before your first frost).
How to Plant
Hills: 3 seeds 1 inch deep, thin to the best 1–2, hills 4–6 ft apart. One plant needs about 20 sq ft — list that once, not in two spec columns. Compost in the hill. Water at the root, not on leaves.
When to Harvest
Cut when the rind resists a fingernail and the stem is corky. Leave 3–4 inches of stem. Cure 10 days in sun, then store cool and dry. Frost kills vines; harvest beforehand.