University of Illinois Extension
Illinois Vegetable Garden Guide
Pumpkins
Pumpkins require a great deal of space and are recommended only for larger gardens. However, to conserve space they can be planted where early corn is growing; the early corn will mature before the pumpkins need much room.
Diseases and cultural practices are much the same as for cucumbers and muskmelons except that pumpkin plants are spaced farther apart. The main insect enemies of pumpkins are the same as those of squash.
Allow fruits to mature on the vine but harvest them with the stems attached before the first severe freeze. Pumpkins for storage should be handled with great care to avoid cuts and bruises that permit the entrance of decay organisms. Store in a dry room where temperatures are about 55° to 65° F.
| Crop | Amount for 100 ft of row |
Variety recommended for use in Illinois | Days to harvest | Resistant to |
| Pumpkins (seed) | 1 ounce | Small - 2-5 pounds 100 to 110 days to harvest | ||
| Baby Bear | ||||
| Small Sugar | ||||
| Spooktacular | ||||
| Intermediate - 8 to 15 pounds | ||||
| Autumn Gold | ||||
| Jack-O-Lantern | ||||
| Spirit | ||||
| Large - 15 to 15 pounds | ||||
| Big Autumn | ||||
| Big Tom | ||||
| Connecticut Field | ||||
| Howden Field | ||||
| Jackpot | ||||
| Jumpin' Jack | ||||
| Pankow's Field |
| Vegetable | Hardiness | Recommended planting period for central Illinois (b) | Time to grow from seed to field (c) | |
| For overall Use |
For storage |
|||
| weeks | ||||
| Pumpkin | Very tender | May 20-June 10 | June 10 | … |
| Vegetable | Spacing in row | |||
| Seed to sow per foot | Distance between plants when thinned or transplanted | Distance between rows | Planting depth | |
| inches | inches | inches | ||
| Pumpkin | 1-2 in row 4-5 per hill |
24-36, single plants 72, hills (3 plants per hill) |
84-120 | 1 |