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Pumpkin
Cucurbita maxima
Sprawling vines that ripen into autumn's centerpiece.
Sun
Full sun
Water
Deep weekly
Soil
Very rich, pH 6.0–7.0
Spacing
1.5–2 m apart
Days to harvest
90–120 days
Hardiness
Zones 3–10 (annual)
Seasonal Calendar
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Sow Harvest
The method
- 1
Sow on a compost mound
Plant 2 seeds on a hill of well-rotted manure, thin to strongest.
- 2
Give it room
One vine can cover 4 m². Plan for it or train around a bed edge.
- 3
Limit fruit
For giant pumpkins, keep just 1 fruit per vine; for eating, keep 3–4.
- 4
Cure after harvest
Cut with 10 cm of stem. Cure in the sun for 10 days to harden the skin.
Common problems
Rotting fruit
Slide a tile or board under each pumpkin.
No fruit set
Hand-pollinate at dawn using a male flower on a female.
Good neighbors
CornBeanNasturtium
Field tips
- “A pumpkin is ripe when the skin resists a fingernail.”
- “Cured pumpkins keep 3–6 months in a cool, dry room.”