What is a good time to plant pumpkins?

[beavis]

Hello all,

I always seem to plant my pumpkins too early, so that they are fully mature in August, waay too early for Halloween fun.

But if I count back say 90 days from Halloween, thats July 1st or so.

That seems late to be planting via seed to me, especially with or hot summers here in southern California.

Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[beavis]

Oh, and I just ordered the Connecticut field pumpkin seeds from Baker Creek:

http://rareseeds.com/cart/products/Connecticut_Field_Pumpkin-1014-95.html

 

[Beekissed]

That depends on your growing season. Here I try to get mine in by at least any time in June. If mine finish early, I just harden them off and store them in a cool, dry place until Halloween.

They will germinate well in July but they really like water, so you may fix a good irrigation system in your pumpkins to keep them doing well and finishing more towards the end of Sept. Just be careful of a heavy frost or freeze near harvest time if you live anywhere in cooler climates.

 

[beavis]

Oh, no worries of frost here.....

MAYBE a rare one every 3 years or so.....

 

[TanksHill]

Hey Beavis... My pumpkins are always in way to early as well. My sprouts are just coming up. I imagine this batch will be early also.

I hope all is well.

gina

 

[beavis]

Hey Tanks,

How have you been?

Keeping busy in the garden these days?

 

[TanksHill]

Kinda, just puttering really. I planted my raised beds. I also planted 3 new 2 x 8 ft beds. I am having a problem with something eating my sprouts right after they pop. My neighbor said it might be grasshoppers. I am thinking more like earwigs.

I went to Mo. on a vacation in March. I had a chance to visit Baker Creek seeds in person. It was fantastic. I was so overwhelmed by all the seeds I forgot to take pictures inside the store. The little village was great.

My early fruiting peach tree is covered this year but the fruit is all still pretty small. Bummer.

How are you doing on tomatoes this year???

gina

 

[HunkieDorie23]

I planted mine (from seed) this morning. I order another type which should be here in a couple of days and I am planting them the day they come. If you are planting plants you buy from the nursey I know 1st of July is the rule. It should be June but last year we didn't really get pumpkins because it was too cool and most of the squash/melon/ pumpkins .... didn't have time to ripen so, they are going in now for me.