vine · direct sow
Pumpkin: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating pumpkin a few times a week needs about 1 plants in ~18 sq ft, worth about $12 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$1.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 1 | ~18 sq ft | ~2 | ~$12 |
| 2 people | 1 | ~18 sq ft | ~2 | ~$12 |
| 4 people | 1 | ~18 sq ft | ~2 | ~$12 |
| 6 people | 1 | ~18 sq ft | ~2 | ~$12 |
Spacing
36" in row · 72" between rows
Sow depth
1"
Days to harvest
100 from seed
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Jul 5 – Aug 20 | — |
Pumpkin needs about 100 days and your first frost comes too early for that. Even the earliest date shown will not ripen outdoors here, grow it in a container you can move, or treat it as a short-season variety. | ||
| Zone 4 | Jun 30 – Aug 15 | — |
Pumpkin needs about 100 days and your first frost comes too early for that. Even the earliest date shown will not ripen outdoors here, grow it in a container you can move, or treat it as a short-season variety. | ||
| Zone 5 | Jun 20 – Aug 5 | — |
Sow Pumpkin by Jun 20 at the latest. The window runs longer than that, but a later sowing will not finish before your first frost. | ||
| Zone 6 | Jun 10 – Jun 30 | — |
| Zone 7 | May 26 – Jul 10 | — |
| Zone 8 | May 15 – Jun 30 | — |
| Zone 9 | Apr 12 – May 28 | — |
| Zone 10 | Mar 23 – May 8 | — |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
Full color for the variety, hollow sound when thumped, rind hard to a fingernail, stem starting to cork. Cut with a handle of stem.
Don't wait: Harvest before hard frost or they will not keep.
Yield
About 3 counts per plant over ~1 productive weeks (~12 lb).
Watch for
Squash bugs · Squash vine borer · Cucumber beetles · Powdery mildew, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with bush bean.
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
26 kcal · 0.5 g fiber · 9 mg vitamin C · 340 mg potassium
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
Pumpkin keeps for months in cool storage. See how much to grow and store to feed your household, and how long it keeps.
Pumpkin planting questions
How many pumpkin plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 1 plant per person. A family of 4 needs about 1 plants, which takes around 18 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does pumpkin need?+
Space plants 36" apart in the row with 72" between rows. Sow 1" deep. Direct sow in the bed.
When should I plant pumpkin?+
It depends on your frost dates. Spring sowing is keyed to your last spring frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing pumpkin worth it?+
At about $1.00/lb retail and ~12 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $12 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.