When to plant pumpkins?
Sow pumpkins and winter squash indoors from mid- to late April, at 18-21 °C, and outdoors in late May or early June, once frost has passed. Campania sets no month: late-spring sowings are the best, between 18 and 30 °C, and summer ones are not.
When, by region
| North | Centre | South | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sowing | Indoors from mid- to late April, one seed on its side, at 18-21 °C. The pumpkin page puts the seed 1 cm deep. The squash page, which covers winter squash, puts it 13 mm deep. Outdoors in late May or early June, 2.5 cm deep, two or three seeds. Outside after the last frost. Indoor plants stay in the warm until late May or early June. | Umbria's 2025 sheet does not fix a month. Return after at least 2 years, and the other crops are not cucurbits. | Campania sets no month. It wants a climate between 18 and 30 °C. Late-spring sowings are the best. Summer ones, because of the autumn cooling, are not. The cycle it names is spring-summer. Sicily has no squash sowing chapter. |
| Spacing | Bush plants at 90 cm. Trailing plants at 1.5 m. The hole is 30 cm wide and deep, filled with soil and compost. In a pot, one compact pumpkin in at least 45 cm. The squash page gives that same pot to summer squashes. | As in the north for the RHS. Umbria does not write a spacing. | In Campania, 5,000 plants per hectare. Between rows, 200 cm for a single row and 400 cm for paired rows. In the row the table prints 100 50 cm. Seed goes 4-5 cm deep, and transplanting is preferred. pH between 5.5 and 7. |
Frost stops them. Cut them in autumn, before the first frost, with a length of stem.
Mid- to late April, 18-21 °C (65-70 °F), the pumpkin page's 1 cm (½ in), the squash page's 13 mm (½ in), late May or early June, 2.5 cm (1 in), 90 cm (3 ft), 1.5 m (5 ft), a 30 cm (1 ft) hole and a 45 cm (18 in) pot are from the RHS. 18-30 °C, late spring, the summer sowings, 5,000 plants per hectare, 200 cm, 400 cm, 100 50 cm in the row, 4-5 cm and a pH between 5.5 and 7 are from Campania, which names no month. The 2 years with no other cucurbits are from Umbria 2025. Sicily's guide has no squash sowing chapter. Courgettes, same family, are in when to plant courgettes. The months are in the April calendar, May and June.
April indoors, June outside
The RHS sows indoors from mid- to late April. One seed in a 7.5 cm (3 in) pot, on its side, so the roots are not disturbed. On the pumpkin page the seed goes 1 cm (½ in) deep. On the squash page, winter squashes included, 13 mm (½ in) deep. Keep them at 18-21 °C (65-70 °F), in the light. Outdoors only in late May or early June, after the last frost, two or three seeds 2.5 cm (1 in) deep, and leave the strongest plant. If you can, warm the soil for a couple of weeks with a cloche or fleece.
Indoor plants go out after the last frost, hardened off. The pumpkin page keeps them indoors until late May or early June. Bush varieties at 90 cm (3 ft). Trailing ones at 1.5 m (5 ft). The hole is about 30 cm (1 ft) wide and deep, filled with soil and compost. The pot is in starting seeds indoors.
Campania, late spring
Campania wants a warm temperate climate, between 18 and 30 °C. Late-spring sowings give the better quality. Summer ones, because of the autumn drop, do not. The cycle it names is spring and summer. A month name is not there. It prefers transplanting to direct sowing, in single or paired rows.
The density is 5,000 plants per hectare. Between rows, 200 cm for a single row and 400 cm for paired rows. In the row the table prints 100 50 cm. Seed goes 4-5 cm deep. The pH is between 5.5 and 7. In Sicily there is no squash sowing chapter: the name appears in a nutrient table, not as a date. In Umbria, in 2025, there is no month. Return after at least 2 years, and the crops before and after are not cucurbits. Courgettes are in when to plant courgettes.
Water, sun, a cool store
Water generously, especially while the fruits swell. Drought stops the fruits and encourages powdery mildew. Water the soil, not the leaves. The RHS sinks a pot beside the plant and pours into that. Mulch, leaving a gap around the stem. How much is in watering, and powdery mildew in the courgette powdery mildew guide.
Cut them in autumn, before frost, with at least 10 cm (4 in) of stem. Then harden the skin in the sun, a week to 10 days for pumpkins, a week or two for winter squashes, and keep them at 10-15 °C (50-60 °F), not touching. In a pot, the RHS puts one compact pumpkin in at least 45 cm (18 in). Winter squashes, on their page, do better in the ground: the 45 cm pot is written for summer squashes. See the container garden. In crop rotation pumpkins and courgettes go wherever suits you, without repeating them too often. In Campania, outside mountain zones, the succession is five years, with at least three crops and at most one repeat.
In the app
Every plant in the catalogue has its own sowing calendar, and weather alerts for your area help you judge whether to sow now or hold off.
Frequently asked questions
When do I sow in the north?
Indoors from mid- to late April, at 18-21 °C, one seed on its side. Pumpkins go 1 cm deep, winter squash 13 mm deep. Outdoors in late May or early June, 2.5 cm deep, after the last frost. Bush plants at 90 cm, trailing ones at 1.5 m.
What month does Campania write?
None. It writes late spring as the better sowing, and advises against summer sowings. The climate is between 18 and 30 °C. The cycle is spring and summer. Density 5,000 plants per hectare, seed 4-5 cm deep, transplanting preferred.
What about Sicily and Umbria?
Sicily has no sowing chapter. Umbria sets no month: return after at least 2 years, and the other crops are not cucurbits.
What does 100 50 in the row mean?
It is the cell in the Campania table, under the in-row spacing: it prints 100 50 cm, next to 200 cm between single rows, or 400 cm for paired rows, and 5,000 plants per hectare. A single spacing, beyond those two numbers, is not written.
When do I cut them, and how do they store?
In autumn, before frost, with at least 10 cm of stem. Harden the skin in the sun and keep them at 10-15 °C. The RHS gives pumpkins a week to 10 days, and winter squashes a week or two.