Pumpkins in Durham
Cucurbita pepo
Pumpkins are vigorous annual vines grown for their large, colourful autumn fruits. They thrive in warm, sunny conditions and produce long, sprawling stems that can easily run several metres. Pumpkins are frost-tender and need a good, rich soil and consistent watering through summer. With enough warmth and space, they reward you with hard-skinned fruits that store well and are ideal for both cooking and seasonal decoration.
Growing Guide
Step-by-step instructions for growing Pumpkin
Planting Calendar
Growing Guide for
Change the guide to see different planting timelines and tips.
Grow large pumpkins for carving outdoors, starting seeds indoors to extend the UK growing season.
1 Sow Seeds Indoors
Sow seeds on their edge at a depth of in modules or pots filled with seed compost. Keep at to encourage germination, which usually takes 7-10 days. Do not sow earlier than 14th March - 21st March as seedlings can become root-bound quickly.
2 Pot On Seedlings
Once seedlings have two true leaves, pot them on into larger pots around in diameter to prevent root restriction. Use a general-purpose compost and keep them in a bright, warm spot at .
3 Harden Off Plants
Gradually acclimatise plants to outdoor conditions over 10-14 days starting around 11th April - 18th April. Place them outside in a sheltered spot during the day and bring them in at night, increasing exposure each day.
4 Transplant Outdoors
Plant out into rich, well-drained soil after the last frost, spacing plants apart. Dig in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure beforehand and water well. Use cloches or fleece for extra protection if nights are still cool.
5 Water and Feed Plants
Water heavily at the base to keep soil consistently moist, especially during dry spells. Once fruits start to swell around 6th November, feed every 14 days with a high-potash fertiliser to support fruit development.
6 Harvest and Cure Pumpkins
Leave fruits on the vine as long as possible before the first heavy frost, harvesting from 16th October - 13th November. Cut leaving a stalk, then cure in the sun for 10-14 days to harden the skin for storage or carving.
Companion Plants
Plants that grow well (or poorly) with Pumpkin
Good Companions
Plants to Avoid
Why Companion Planting Matters
Companion planting can help deter pests, improve pollination, enhance growth, and maximize garden space. Some plants release chemicals that repel pests or attract beneficial insects, while others can improve soil quality or provide shade for sensitive plants.
Suggested Varieties
Popular varieties of Pumpkin to consider
Jack O'Lantern
A classic carving pumpkin with a round shape and bright orange skin. It's widely available in UK garden centres and matures reliably in our shorter growing season.
Munchkin
This small variety produces numerous palm-sized fruits that are ideal for decoration or cooking. It's well-suited to UK gardens as it can be grown in containers and has good disease resistance.
Crown Prince
A popular grey-blue skinned pumpkin with sweet, dense orange flesh that stores well. It performs consistently in UK conditions and is favoured for soups and roasting.
Atlantic Giant
Known for producing very large pumpkins, this variety is grown by enthusiasts for competitions. It requires a long growing season but can succeed in the UK with careful site selection and feeding.
Baby Bear
A compact plant that yields small, flattened pumpkins with good flavour. It's recommended for UK gardens because it matures early and is less prone to mildew in damp weather.
Related Plants
Explore similar plants you might like
Potato
A staple root vegetable grown from seed potatoes, producing tubers underground. In the UK, potatoes are classified as first earlies, second earlies, or maincrop, each with different planting and harvesting times. They thrive in well-drained soil and full sun, and require earthing up to protect tubers from light.
Spring Onion
Spring onions are fast-growing, mild-flavoured onions grown for their green stems and small bulbs. They are easy to grow and can be sown in succession for a continuous harvest. Hardy varieties can even be sown in late autumn to overwinter for an early spring crop. Spring onions don't take much space and grow well in containers or between slower-growing vegetables.
Squash
Squash come in summer and winter types, offering versatile fruits from tender courgette-like harvests to hard-skinned varieties that store through winter. They're vigorous plants that love sun and rich soil, producing colourful, flavourful crops perfect for roasting, soups, or stuffing. With trailing or compact options, there's a squash for every garden size.