All pumpkins are squashes but not all squashes are pumpkins. Pumpkins have hard skins or rinds that mean they can be stored, often for months, if dried in the sun but many squashes have thinner skins and some – the summer squashes such as courgettes – cannot be stored as they never develop a skin thick enough to prevent the ripening process from becoming putrefaction. Squashes and pumpkins are American of course, grown initially for their seeds and the utility of their skins as bowls, although it did not take long for someone to cook the flesh and find it good. Thanksgiving celebrations on the fourth Thursday in November depend upon the two staples of the New England wild that got the Pilgrim Fathers through the first winters – turkey and squashes. If I had to grow just one type of squash it would be acorn squash as they taste fantastic, grow well and make such beautiful objects, with their elegant, fluted shape. They come in orange, yellow, blue-black and green, and when you hold them they feel more like a stone sculpture than a vegetable. But all the Hubbards, Butternuts and varieties like ‘Turk’s Turban’, ‘Rouge Vif d’Étampes’, ‘Uchiki Kuri’, ‘Musquée de Provence’ (a ravishing orange colour) are also lovely, rollicking, buxom things and given enough space, I would grow scores.
Family | Cucurbitaceae |
Growing zones | N/A |
Growing season(s) | warm weather |
Spacing | 24 inches if growing vertically; 4 to 6 feet if not |
Start indoors or direct sow | direct sow |
Indoor sowing date | N/A |
Earliest outdoor planting | after last frost |
Soil temperature | 70° to 90° |
Fall planting | N/A |
Sun needs | 8+ hours |
Water needs | high |
Harvest category | varies by type, but mostly quick harvest |
Preparation Tip: | If you want to grow pumpkins for pies or breads, choose a variety specifically labeled “pie pumpkin”. Large pumpkins for carving are not ideal for baking. |
Snapshot | Contrary to its name, winter squash (and pumpkin) grows during the summer. It matures in the fall, and because of its ability to be stored for a long time is usually consumed in the winter, hence its designation. |
Starting | Winter squash and pumpkins require a long growing season, and fertile soil rich in organic matter is essential. These seeds are best sown directly in warm soil. In colder climates they may benefit from being started indoors, while black plastic covers and warms the soil ahead of planting. You can also plant winter squash and pumpkin seeds in the warmer soil of raised beds or containers. Sow the seeds 6 inches apart, then thin to 2 feet apart (for compact varieties or those growing up a trellis) or 4 to 6 feet apart. |
Growing | Consistent watering is key to properly developed pumpkins and winter squash. If you’re growing them on a trellis, train the vines by weaving them around the vertical support. Use old T-shirts fashioned into hammocks to support developing fruits. Larger pumpkin varieties should not be grown vertically because they get too heavy. |
Harvesting and Storing | Harvest winter squash and pumpkins before the first frost. Look for the skins to change to a dull color and the stem to become woody. Also, use your fingernail to try to indent the rind. If no mark remains, the squash or pumpkin is ready to pick. When you cut off the gourd, leave 2 inches of the stem intact. Store your crops in a hot area (85° to 90°) for several days before moving them into cold storage at 50° to 60°. |
Common Problem | Squash vine borers commonly affect pumpkins and winter squash in some parts of the country. If leaves wilt overnight, inspect the base of the plant for sawdust-like frass. Slice the stem open with a knife and look for a white grub (sometimes there are several). Dispose of the grub and bury the injured stem so it can grow new roots. Water well. |
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