Pumpkin
Cucurbita pepo
Sow outdoors 2 weeks after your last spring frost. Space plants 48 in (122 cm) apart.
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 2.0 · source
When to plant
Timed from your frost dates, so it holds wherever you garden. Give yours and every step below becomes a date.
Optimal Direct Sow
From seedRecommended- Sow outdoors2 weeks after your last spring frost
- First harvestabout 105 days after sowing
Optimal Indoor Start
From seed- Start indoors1 week before your last spring frost
- Begin hardening off1 week after your last spring frost
- Plant out2 weeks after your last spring frost
- First harvestabout 91 days after sowing
Growing pumpkin
- Spacing in the row
- 48 in (122 cm)
- Between rows
- 72 in (183 cm)
- Planting depth
- 1 inch
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Mature height
- Vining
- Life cycle
- Annual
Feeding
- How often
- At planting, then once at midseason. Side-dress with nitrogen just as the vines begin to run; too much nitrogen gives all vine and few fruit.
Your pumpkin, planned to the day.
Canopy turns these timings into dates from your own frost data, places every plant at its spacing on your garden map, and tracks it all the way to harvest.