Planting guide
When to plant pumpkin
Sprawling vines that give big, long-keeping fruit for autumn and winter. In Melbourne it goes in Sep–Dec.
- Start as
- Seed, sown in place or Seedling
- Ready in
- 11–20 wks
- Spacing
- 150 cm
- Depth
- 3 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular
- Effort
- Easy
- Frost-tender
- Yes, plant after the last frost
When it goes in
● means pumpkin can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Melbourne | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Brisbane | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Perth | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Adelaide | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Gold Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Newcastle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Sunshine Coast | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Canberra | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Central Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Geelong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wollongong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Hobart | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Townsville | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Ballarat | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Mandurah | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bendigo | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Launceston | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Mackay | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Rockhampton | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Coffs Harbour | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Blue Mountains | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| Bunbury | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bundaberg | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Alice Springs | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mildura | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Port Macquarie | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wellington | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Christchurch | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
| London | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Johannesburg | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Singapore | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mumbai | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant pumpkin
- Sow seed 3 cm deep in mounds of rich soil when warm.
- Give vines lots of room or a sturdy trellis.
- Mulch and water deeply in dry spells.
- Harvest when the stem dries and the skin is hard.
Pumpkin varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Butternut Classicstorage · sweet · 14–17 wksNutty orange flesh; stores for months
- Jap Classicstorage · sweet · heavy-cropper · 14–19 wksJapanese-style dark green pumpkin; sweet and dry
- Queensland Blue Classicheirloom · storage · heavy-cropper · 16–20 wksBlue-grey Aussie classic that keeps for months
- Jarrahdale Classicheirloom · storage · colourful · 16–20 wksGrey-blue Western Australian heirloom; sweet and long-keeping
- Golden Nugget Classicdwarf · bush · kid-favourite · 11–14 wksSmall bush pumpkins; good for small gardens
- Jack Be Little Adventurousdwarf · kid-favourite · 12–14 wksTiny pumpkins for display, baking and kids
- Atlantic Giant Adventurousgiant · kid-favourite · 16–20 wksGiant-pumpkin contender; grows to the size of a wheelbarrow
- Crown Prince Adventurousstorage · sweet · 14–19 wksBlue-grey skin hides sweet orange flesh
- Musquee de Provence Adventurousheirloom · storage · colourful · 16–20 wksDeeply ribbed French pumpkin with sweet, rich flesh
- Potimarron Adventuroussweet · storage · 14–16 wksChestnut-flavoured small red pumpkin
Where to buy seeds
Shop links may earn us a commission. It never changes what we recommend.
Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
Good companions
Corn, Bean, Nasturtium
Pumpkin by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Watermelon · Rockmelon · Squash · Honeydew melon · Luffa
Not sure pumpkin is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
Find what else you can plant now