Time Frame

• Pumpkin seeds require warm soil, free from all danger of frost. Seeds should be planted after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up, generally in late spring to midsummer. Alternatively, seeds may be started indoors 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting them outdoors.
  
  

Size and Spacing

• Pumpkins produce long trailing vines and need a large area to grow. The vines benefit from partial shade during the summer. Planting them near fences, around corn stalks or on hills provides partial shade throughout the day.
  
  

Considerations

• Adding a layer of mulch after planting the seeds will help prevent weeds from growing, provide consistent soil moisture and keep the pumpkins off the soil. Seeds thrown into a compost pile may even grow the following year.