Pumpkin
Botanical Information
| Botanical Information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Cucurbitales |
| Family | Cucurbitaceae |
| Genus | Cucurbita |
| Common Name | Pumpkin |
| Species | Multiple Varieties |
Maturity days
- 110 days
Planting Months
| Planting months | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
Planting in early December will usually start yielding mid to late January, depending on when the first rains arrive. Too much rain and they'll tend to rot on the ground.
Permaculture uses
| Permaculture uses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Usage 1 | Usage 2 | Usage 3 |
| Ground cover, Staple food, bee food, | Animal food, vegetable | |
Growing condition comments
| Growing Condition | Comment |
|---|---|
| Drought Tolerant | No, needs water |
| Humidity tolerant | Yes, but too much will cause fruit rot and disease |
| Planting area | Sprawling vine |
| Sunlight | Full |
Photos
| Photos | ||
|---|---|---|
| XXXXX | XXXXX | XXXXX |
Short comments
Sprawling vine, fruit will split if too much rain. Plant flowers in or near by the patch to assist fruit setting. Baby pumpkins can be treated as squash.
Many varieties, common / good tasting include:
- Jap (Cucurbita moschata)
General comments
In the Burdekin / Townsville area pumpkins will generally grow most of the year though yields seem to suffer during the intense raining / monsoon periods. They suffer from mildew fungal infections in the cooler months.
If large fruit are present at the onset of the raining period, likelihood of fruit splitting during a rain event increases.
Do need plenty of water and ample space to sprawl around. Raising fruit off the ground that have set is helpful to prevent rot, especially if the ground is damp from showers or rain.
Having set flowers growing during the same time as the pumpkins to attract pollinators will assist in fruit setting, else hand pollination may be necessary.
