How to Grow Pumpkin

Beginner-Friendly

Cucurbita spp.

A warm-season vine crop producing hard-shelled fruit for fall and winter. Includes pie pumpkins, butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash. Bush varieties suit raised beds; vining types need room to sprawl or a strong trellis.

Last updated: June 2026

Days to Maturity

85–120 days

typical

Per Square Foot

quarter

Plant Spacing

60 cm / 24"

Sun

8+ hours

Water

1.5" / 38 mm

Fertilization

heavy feeder

Growing Notes

Direct sow after last frost when soil reaches 16 °C, or start indoors 3–4 weeks early. Let fruit cure on the vine. Harvest when rind is hard and stem begins to dry.

Varieties & Cultivars

11 cultivars in our database. Click any card to see growing details.

French heirloom

(1)

Entente Cordiale

95–110 days Open-Pollinated

nutty sweet flavour; excellent for pies; named after 1904 treaty

Height: 24–36" (61–91 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 0.4 oz (10 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 4–9
Seed saving: moderate
Seed viability: 4 years

Heirloom roasting pumpkin

(1)

Long Green

90–105 days Open-Pollinated

tender sweet flesh; thin skin edible when roasted; Southern US variety

Height: 24–36" (61–91 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 0.4 oz (11 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 4–10
Seed saving: easy
Seed viability: 4 years

Pie

(2)

Connecticut Field

100–120 days Open-Pollinated

vigorous sprawling vines; good for pies though not the sweetest; pepo type

Height: 24–118" (60–300 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 15.0 lb (6800 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 3–10
Seed saving: easy
Seed viability: 4 years

Sugar Pie

90–100 days Open-Pollinated

sweet fine-grained flesh; ideal for baking

Height: 12–71" (30–180 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 5.1 lb (2300 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 3–10
Seed saving: easy
Seed viability: 4 years

Traditional pie pumpkin

(1)

Kentucky Field

95–105 days Open-Pollinated

sweet dense flesh; good for baking and canning; American heirloom

Height: 24–36" (61–91 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 0.4 oz (12 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 4–9
Seed saving: easy
Seed viability: 4 years

Winter Squash

(6)

Acorn Table Queen

85–95 days Open-Pollinated

sweet orange flesh; compact vines; good for small gardens

Height: 12–71" (30–180 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 1.5 lb (700 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 3–10
Seed saving: easy
Seed viability: 4 years

Blue Hubbard

110–120 days Open-Pollinated

excellent dry sweet orange flesh; outstanding keeper storing 5-6 months; maxima type; vigorous sprawling vines

Height: 24–118" (60–300 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 12.1 lb (5500 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 3–10
Seed saving: moderate
Seed viability: 4 years

Butternut Waltham

95–110 days Open-Pollinated

excellent keeper storing 4–6 months; moschata type resists vine borers

Height: 12–79" (30–200 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 5.1 lb (2300 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 3–10
Seed saving: easy
Seed viability: 4 years

Delicata

95–100 days Open-Pollinated

edible thin skin; pepo type; compact vines suit small gardens; stores 2-3 months

Height: 12–71" (30–180 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 1.5 lb (700 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 3–10
Seed saving: easy
Seed viability: 4 years

Red Kuri

92–100 days Open-Pollinated

smooth chestnut-like flavour; thin skin; makes excellent soup; stores 3-4 months

Height: 12–79" (30–200 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 4.0 lb (1800 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 3–10
Seed saving: easy
Seed viability: 4 years

Spaghetti

88–100 days Open-Pollinated

mild nutty flavour

Height: 12–79" (30–200 cm)
Yield / plant: —
Avg fruit: 5.1 lb (2300 g)
Support: none
Harvest: once
USDA Zones: 3–10
Seed saving: easy
Seed viability: 4 years

Companion Planting

What to grow alongside pumpkin, and what to keep apart.

Plant With

Sunflower : Sunflowers attract pollinators essential for pumpkin fruit set

Corn : Three Sisters: corn provides windbreak and trellis; pumpkin vines shade soil

Beans : Three Sisters: beans fix nitrogen for heavy-feeding pumpkin vines

Radish : Radishes deter squash pests and mature before pumpkin vines spread

Keep Apart

Potato : Both heavy feeders susceptible to overlapping fungal diseases

Square Foot Spacing

¼ per sq ft

View full spacing chart →

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