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When to plant pumpkins
Plant pumpkins 1–3 weeks after the last spring frost. Wait until the soil is at least 65°F. That works out to zone 5b (mid May to late May), zone 7a (late April to early May) and zone 9a (early March to late March).
Pumpkins planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant outdoors | pumpkins ready from |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | May 22 – Jun 5 | Aug 27 |
| 4b | May 20 – Jun 3 | Aug 25 |
| 5a | May 18 – Jun 1 | Aug 23 |
| 5b | May 12 – May 26 | Aug 17 |
| 6a | May 7 – May 21 | Aug 12 |
| 6b | May 1 – May 15 | Aug 6 |
| 7a | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 28 |
| 7b | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jul 19 |
| 8a | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Jul 9 |
| 8b | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Jun 28 |
| 9a | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Jun 14 |
| 9b | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | May 19 |
How to plant pumpkins
| Plant as | seeds outdoors |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 65°F or warmer |
| Depth | 1 in, 4–5 seeds per hill |
| Spacing | Hills 4–8 ft apart |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 90–120 days |
For Halloween pumpkins, count back the variety's days to maturity from early October: most need planting between late May and early July.
Pumpkins sprawl: give each hill at least 50 square feet or grow small varieties on a trellis.
Plant in warm soil only; seeds rot in cold, wet ground.
When to harvest pumpkins
Harvest when the rind is hard and the stem turns woody, before a hard frost. Cut with 3–4 inches of stem attached.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Potatoes · Cucumbers · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon · Green beans