Grow Your Own Pumpkins this Fall with This EasytoFollow Guide to Planting Pumpkin Seeds

Something about the dedication it takes to grow one of those misshapen monstrosities inspires me to give it a shot on my own.

Pumpkins typically are at their best in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9, and they prefer soil that is slightly acidic to neutral in its pH. We’re talking an ideal pH of 6 to 7.0.

How

In fact, the best way to guarantee success is to start prepping your pumpkin patch right away. A good, solid year of preparation is just what the soil needs to ensure the productivity of your patch.

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You’ll want your growing area to be in a location that gets lots of sun, though they can tolerate some light shade.

You should plan to space the mounds about four to eight feet apart, and on average you’ll be able to fit two or three plants per mound, depending on the cultivar that you select. Smaller varieties will take up less space.

Start with finding a location where you can let your vines grow with abandon – and keep in mind that you can get creative with it.

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I’ve seen people grow pumpkins in their front perennial beds to have built-in autumn decor ready for Halloween. Those long runners of vines can be cut and removed to free up walkways.

Pumpkins want good drainage, and warm, rich soil. Sound like a problem? Don’t fret! It’s a pretty simple process to achieve this.

Start with digging a hole about 12 inches deep by 12 inches wide. At the bottom of this hole, place a layer of aged manure or compost; about two to four inches should do the trick.

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Place the soil back into the hole and add more until you’ve got a mound formed, about the size of a baseball base.

The purpose of mounding the soil is to increase drainage, and to provide a base of rich organic matter for your plants.

By prepping this mound six months to a year before you plant, you’ll be ready to plop those seeds in and get right to growing when planting season arrives.

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If you’re collecting your own seeds from the guts of your jack-o’-lantern, simply spread the fresh seeds in a single layer on a paper towel and set it someplace dry and cool.

Since you’re going to prepare your patch so far in advance, this is a great activity to keep you busy in the meantime!

I’m a fan of placing my seeds randomly in desk drawers and glassware cabinets to dry – it’s fun to hear my wife’s reaction when she finds them!

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After a week or so, the seeds should be plenty dry. Place them into an envelope and hold onto them until the growing season. Remember to label it with the variety and the date.

Keep in mind that hybrid pumpkins won’t grow true to seed, whereas heirloom and open-pollinated varieties will be identical to their parent plants – unless they were cross-pollinated by a different variety.

Another reason why we made those mounds when we were setting up our patch for growing was to increase the temperature of the soil for our seeds.

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You’re probably safe to directly sow your seeds starting in late May, after the risk of frost has passed. Most regions won’t experience a significant cold snap this late in the year.

Plant the seeds about an inch deep in the mounds. You can grow about two to three plants per mound, but be sure to note the suggested depth and spread on individual seed packets.

As your vines become established, there are some things to keep in mind to ensure that they are well cared for, and productive.

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Keep them well watered, because they really can’t stand drying out! This is because pumpkins have very shallow root systems and can’t dig deeper in search of moisture.

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A friend who works on a sixty-acre farm outside of the city and said they give their pumpkins as much as 20 gallons of water a week if there is no rain in the forecast.

It’s up to you to make sure your plants receive at least one to one and a half inches of water a week.

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Those shallow roots mean you should exclusively hand weed as well, to prevent them from picking up any chemicals that you might use otherwise for weed control, and to avoid disturbing the roots.

The old fashioned “chicken pickin’” style of weeding is your best bet here; pull the weeds directly from the ground and avoid using shovels, trowels, and other tools.

If you can, set up some boards to walk on between rows so you won’t have to risk damaging the roots, or at least use the same foot path each time you walk between the plants.

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Aim for a ratio of two to three times as much phosphate and potassium as there is nitrogen in whatever fertilizer you choose.

For example, instead of feeding plants with an all-purpose fertilizer that is listed as 2-2-2 (NPK), seek out something like 2-6-6 instead.

It might be difficult to find fertilizers with these exact values, but that’s okay! The overall ratio is what’s most important here.

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The important thing to keep in mind is that we are fertilizing with a balanced mix at planting time, and fertilizing for strong blooms and healthy plants while they grow and mature, while trying to keep a check on producing too much green growth.

I generally favor using anything from the Espoma product line, and their all-purpose vegetable fertilizer, available at Nature Hills Nursery, is good to get the ball rolling for your first round of fertilizing at planting time.

Following that, through the rest of the season we want to fertilize once a month, ideally using a liquid or water soluble fertilizer so the plants can absorb the nutrients immediately.

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I’ve yet to use this personally, but this product by MasterBlend, available on Amazon, has been recommended to me for fertilizing pumpkins.

Once several fruits start to form on each plant, you can pinch back the fuzzy growth that’s forming elsewhere on the plant.

This helps ensure your pumpkins will grow large and in charge, because the plant is concentrating its energy on existing fruit rather than making new ones.

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I’ve always turned my pumpkins every few days to keep them shapely and attractive. Some people will place a thin board underneath each fruit to keep it from getting too wet, but this hasn’t been necessary, in my experience.

Most pumpkin plants take between 75 and 100 growing days to produce fruit. Remember, you’ll want to get your seeds started no later than late May in most cases.

But if you live in a warmer climate with a long growing season, you may be able to get away with starting your pumpkins as late as July.

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If you’re looking specifically for eating pumpkins to make puree and pie filling, you can read more about some of our top picks.

And if decorating is more your thing, check out our roundup of the best cultivars for painting, harvest displays, and carving into jack-o’-lanterns.

Sometimes you want straight-up quantity! For the lover of those miniature white pumpkins that seem to last forever, ‘Baby Boo’ is an ideal choice. One plant can produce enough fruit for all of your mantle-decorating needs.

Grow

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Expect to harvest your plants after about 95 days. You’ll be collecting fruits that are about two inches high and two and a half inches wide.

A special note here is that you’ll need to harvest these pumpkins before they are fully mature, or else they’ll take on a yellow shade.

A good pumpkin for simple decoration, and for baking. ‘Cinderella’ takes a bit longer to grow than most cultivars, but the end result is an appealing gourd that you don’t need to carve.

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In fact, these aren’t very good for carving as they are squat and ridged. Sorry, kids! Just set the mature fruit out as is, as an attractive decoration for the harvest table or the front porch in autumn.

The fruit stands about 6 inches tall and 18 inches wide at maturity. This type is best suited to Zones 3 through 8.

It takes a few weeks longer for ‘Howden’ pumpkins to mature than some types, about 115 days, but you’ll be rewarded with a pumpkin that is typically about 18 inches tall by 20 inches wide.

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Any pumpkin that references Pokémon is a good choice in my book. These offer an attractive option when you want some two-toned pumpkins for your autumn arsenal.

Harvestable about 100 days into the season with a crop of 3-inch-tall by 5-inch-wide squash. Not only are these easy to grow in Zones 4-8, they’re also a good option for baking.

This is the cultivar of choice for when you want something rather unique, and oddly appealing. It’s also great for baking, proving that beauty goes more than skin deep.

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You’ll get your warty reward about 110 days into the season. Fruit tends to be about 16 inches high by 12 inches wide at maturity, but its thick rind means ‘Red Warty Thing’ is not suitable for carving.

How

Of course these hungry and thirsty plants, with their oh-so-tender roots, are appealing to certain pests. And you’ll have some diseases to watch out for as well.