Pumpkins go outside after your last spring frost, once the soil is warm. For Halloween pumpkins, plant from late May in the North to early July in the South. Find your zone below, or enter your ZIP code for dates based on the weather station closest to you.
Pumpkin dates for your ZIP code
Planting times based on university extension guidance (UNH, Cornell, Purdue, Minnesota, Nebraska and UMass Extension). Frost dates from NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, nearest weather station. Zones derived from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map data (PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University). This is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Pumpkin planting dates by zone
| USDA zone | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Zone 3 | June 6 |
| Zone 4 | May 30 |
| Zone 5 | May 22 |
| Zone 6 | May 15 |
| Zone 7 | May 1 |
| Zone 8 | April 14 |
| Zone 9 | March 17 |
Not sure of your zone? Look it up by ZIP code.
Why pumpkins wait for warm soil
Pumpkins are tender, warm-season plants. The seed won’t sprout in cold soil, and frost kills the vines. They go out about two weeks after the last spring frost, once the soil has thoroughly warmed, and need 100–120 days to ripen. If you want pumpkins for Halloween, timing the planting matters as much as the frost date.
How to plant pumpkins
- Sow seeds 1 inch deep, 4–5 seeds per hill, once the soil is warm.
- Space hills 5–6 feet apart in rows 10–15 feet apart for vining types, closer for bush types.
- Thin to the best 2–3 plants per hill.
- Water deeply, keeping the leaves dry.
- Let the bees work. Avoid insecticides while flowers are open.
Harvesting and storing pumpkins
Harvest when the pumpkin has a deep, solid color and a hard rind. Cut the stem with shears, leaving 3–4 inches attached, and wear gloves because the stems are prickly. Bring pumpkins in before a heavy frost. Store sound, unblemished pumpkins in a dry place at about 45–55 °F, where they keep for months. Don’t refrigerate them or store them somewhere damp.
Frequently asked questions
How long do pumpkins take to grow?
Most need 100–120 days from planting to harvest. Miniatures are quicker; giants take longest.
Why are my pumpkin flowers falling off?
The first flowers are male and drop off after a day. Female flowers, with a small pumpkin at the base, come later.
How much space do pumpkins need?
Vining pumpkins need 50–100 square feet per hill, and giants about 150. Bush and miniature types need much less.
Sources. Planting dates use the median frost dates of each USDA zone, calculated from NOAA climate data for every ZIP code in the zone.