edenhana

Pumpkin

Needs plenty of space to sprawl and a long warm season to size up; store well once cured, making it a good bulk winter crop.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
150cm
Harvest
Ready in 110-130 days
Difficulty
intermediate
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
2-5 fruit per plant
Cost to grow
~$8 NZD
Grocery value
~$40 NZD
Companion plants
Beans, Peas, Radishes, Sweetcorn
Plants to avoid nearby
Potato
Common diseases
Powdery mildew
Common pests
Aphids, Whitefly

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: September-November. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: October-November. In Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: November.

Growing stages

  1. Germination & sowing

    • Needs warm soil to germinate; direct sow after frost risk passes
    • Space widely (150cm) to allow for its sprawling vines
    • Damping off risk in cold, wet soil

  2. Seedling & establishment

    • Aphids and whitefly can target young seedlings
    • Give the vine plenty of room to spread as it establishes
    • Water in well while roots establish

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Powdery mildew can appear on leaves as the season progresses
    • Aphids and whitefly build up on foliage
    • Needs a long, warm season to size up; growth slows noticeably in cool weather

  4. Flowering & fruiting

    • Poor fruit set if pollinators are scarce during flowering
    • Powdery mildew often worsens once fruit is developing
    • Only 2-5 fruit per plant typically set; thin excess small fruit if too many form

  5. Harvest110-130 days from sowing

    • Ready from about 110-130 days, a long-season crop
    • Cure fruit in the sun for a week or two after cutting for good winter storage
    • Leave a length of stem attached when cutting to help fruit store well

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