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Varieties
Small: Baby Bear, Jack Be Little, Munchkin, Mystic, Small Sugar, Triple Treat
Medium: Bumpkin, Howden, Jack O' Lantern
Large: Aladdin, Big Max, Connecticutt Field, Fairytale, Magic Lantern, Merlin, Prizewinner
Soil Preferences
Well drained, sandy loams with pH range 6.5 - 7.5; avoid heavy soils.
Optimum Growing Conditions
- Monthly mean temperature 60-80°F
- Day temperature 85-95°F
- Night temperature 60-70°F
- Low humidity
Establishment Methods
| Planting Method | Direct seeded or transplanted |
|---|---|
| Optimum Time | 60-70°F soil temperature at 3-4" depth, or 75-120 days (depending upon variety) prior to intended market window. |
| Seeding rate | 2-5 lbs/acre |
| Approx seed/oz | 100-300 |
| Seeding depth | 0.5 - 0.75" |
| Seedling spacing | Large Vine types - 18-24" in-row on 8-10' beds Compact Vine types - 18-24" in-row on 80" wide beds Raised bed culture advisable |
Fertility/Fertilization
Rates presented as actual lbs/acre N2, P2o5, and K2o (base actual rates applied on soil test results).| Generalized rate: 50 - 40 - 40 lb/acre | |
| N* | 20-80; 10-20 lbs applied pre-plant with the remainder side-dressed when vines begin to run |
|---|---|
| P | 30-80 banded approximately 2-3" below seed at planting. |
| K | 0-80 pre-plant applied when needed |
Water/Irrigation
25 - 30" applied and/or received in 5 - 7 applications. Critical demand periods:- Establishment
- 2-4 weeks after emergence
- Bloom
- Fruit set
- Enlargement
Pest Management
Pumpkin Diseases and Common Name of Fungicidal Controls
| DISEASE | FUNGICIDE* | OMRI LISTED FUNGICIDE** |
|---|---|---|
| Alternaria and Anthracnose | clove, rosemary and thyme oil, hydrogen dioxide, neem oil, streptomyces lydicus, | |
| Downy mildew | acibenzolar-s-methyl, azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, copper sulfate, cyazofamid, cymoxanil, dimethomorph, fenamidone, fluopicolide, fosetyl-Al, mandpropamid, maneb, potassium phosphite, propamocarb hydrochloride, pyraclostrobin, sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate, trifloxystrobin, | Bacillus subtilis, clove, rosemary and thyme oil, copper hydroxide, cuprous oxide, extract of Reynoutria sachalinensis, hydrogen dioxide, neem oil, potassium bicarbonate, streptomyces lydicus, |
| Fruit rot | potassium phosphite, potassium bicarbonate, | |
| Gummy stem blight | azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, copper sulfate, kresoxim-methyl, paraffinic oil, polyoxin D zinc salt, potassium phosphite, pyraclostrobin, tebuconazole, thiophanate-methyl, | Bacillus subtilis, copper hydroxide, cuprous oxide, extract of Reynoutria sachalinensis, hydrogen dioxide, |
| Nematodes | 1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin, metam-potassium, metam-sodium, sesame oil, | azadirachtin, |
| Powdery mildew | acibenzolar-s-methyl, azoxystrobin, boscalid, copper sulfate, kaolin, kresoxim-methyl, myclobutanil, paraffinic oil, polyoxin D zinc salt, potassium phosphite, potassium salts of fatty acids, pyraclostrobin, quinoxyfen, sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate, sulfur, tebucanzole, thiophanate-methyl, trifloxystrobin, triflumizole, | Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilis, clove, rosemary and thyme oil, copper hydroxide, cuprous oxide, extract of Reynoutria sachalinensis, hydrogen dioxide, neem oil, potassium bicarbonate, streptomyces lydicus, potassium bicarbonate, |
| Virus | paraffinic oil, |
Pumpkin Insect Pests and Common Name of Insecticidal Controls
| INSECT | INSECTICIDE* | OMRI LISTED INSECTICIDE** |
|---|---|---|
| Aphid | Acetamiprid, Bifenthrin, Endosulfan, Imidacloprid, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Oxamyl, Oxydemeton-methyl, Permethrin, Petroleum oil, Potassium salts of fatty acids, Sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate, Soybean Oil, Thiamethoxam, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Garlic Juice Extracts, Neem oil, Pyrethrins, |
| Leafminer | Abamectin, Cyromazine, Deltamethrin, Dinotefuran, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Paraffinic oil, Permethrin, Petroleum oil, Soybean Oil, Thiamethoxam, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Garlic Juice Extracts, Spinosad, |
| Looper | Azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis, Garlic Juice Extracts, Pyrethrins | |
| Melonworm | Acetamiprid, Beta-cyfluthrin, Bifenthrin, Carbaryl, Chlorantraniliprole , Cryolite, Cyfluthrin, Deltamethrin, Endosulfan, Flubendiamide, Indoxacarb, Lambdacyhalothrin, Methoxyfenozide, Permethrin, Spinetoram, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis, Spinosad, |
| Rootworm | Abamectin, Cyromazine, Deltamethrin, Dinotefuran, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Paraffinic oil, Permethrin, Petroleum oil, Soybean Oil, Thiamethoxam, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Garlic Juice Extracts, Spinosad, |
| Spider Mite | Abamectin, Fenpropathrin, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Potassium salts of fatty acids | Neem oil, |
| Squash Vine Borer | Acetamiprid, Bifenthrin, Endosulfan, Esfenvalerate, Flubendiamide, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Permethrin, Zeta-cypermethrin | |
| Whitefly | Beta-cyfluthrin, Bifenthrin, Cyfluthrin, Deltamethrin, Dinotefuran, Endosulfan, Fosetyl-Al, Imidacloprid, Lambdacyhalothrin, Paraffin oil, Petroleum oil, Potassium salts of fatty acids, Sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate, Soybean Oil, Spiromesifen, Thiamethoxam | Azadirachtin, Garlic Juice Extracts, Neem oil, Pyrethrins, |
Weeds and Common Name of Herbicidal Controls
| WEED | HERBICIDE* | OMRI LISTED HERBICIDE** |
|---|---|---|
| Preplant incorporated | clomazone, ethalfluralin, bensulide, trifluralin | Corn gluten meal |
| Preemergence (prior to spear emergence) | ethalfluralin | |
| Postemergence | carfentrazone, oxyfluorfen, paraquat, halosulfuron, sethoxydim, glyphosate, pelargonic acid, clethodim | d-limonene, clove oil, cinnamon and clove oil |
* The above is a partial listing of controls intended as examples. Some labels may have been revoked since the publication of this guide. Refer to product labels for specifics and use accordingly. Ensure that products with one of the listed active ingredients is registered for the crop it is to be used on. Failure to do the above may result in crop injury, death and/or citation for law violation. Humans, animals and the environment may also be adversely affected by misuse.
** As stated in §205.206 of the National Organic Standards, pest management decisions should follow a hierarchical approach, which should be defined in a farm's organic systems plan. Please ensure that you have followed the appropriate steps and any product to be used in certified organic production systems has been approved by your certifying agent.
Harvest
| Days after planting | 75-120 |
|---|---|
| Normal method | Hand, when rind and stem arden and skin is bright orange |
| Containers | Bulk wagons, pallet boxes |
| Grades | Uniformity of size, shape, color |
| Packaging/Handling | Do not stack more than 4 layres of fruit high |
| Anticipated yield/acre | 15,000-25,000 lbs/acre |
Transit Conditions
50-55°F at 70-75% RHComments/Production Keys
* Always arrange for markets prior to planting.- Cucurbita pepo and C. maxima species grow well in Texas
- Fertile soils are necessary to obtain maximum yield and fruit quality
- Responds well to plastic mulch culture
- Do not plant into cold soils, as weak slow growing non-productive plants will result
- Pumpkins are shallow rooted plants, so uniform moisture is required
- To obtain extremely large fruit, constantly good soil moisture and pruning to 1-2 fruit per plant is required
- Use of bees enhances flower pollination and yields
- Windbreaks (Elbon Rye, TAMU 105 and Tascosa Wheat, Triticale) planted in early-mid fall is beneficial in areas prone to prevailing winds
- Thorough foliage coverage with fungicides is necessary for good disease control
- Leaving pumpkins in field after foliage dies reduces quality by causing shoulder bleaching
- Extended exposure to temperature below 50°F in the field results in chill injury
- Appearance is critical (size, shape, color). Consumers prefer intact stems; handle with care to avoid bruising skin.
- Three to five year crop rotations between pumpkins and other curcurbits should be followed to avoid disease buildup in soil. Always use fungicide treated seed.