Simple Instructions on When and Where to Plant Pumpkin Seeds

Choose and prepare your plot and soil. Pumpkins thrive on lots of sunlight, so choose a site that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Avoid planting pumpkins where other vine crops such as melons and cucumbers have grown in the past two years.

Mix a 3- to 4-inch layer of organic compost into the garden soil and broadcast a 5-10-10 fertilizer according to package directions.

Plant your seeds as soon as the last frost date passes. Pumpkins need approximately four to five months without frost, depending on variety.

Sow the seeds least 6 inches apart and 1 inch deep. They grow best when planted in small hills about 3 feet across, surrounded by a small irrigation moat. Hills should be at least 10 feet apart because pumpkin vines require a staggering amount of room to grow, at least 150 square feet per hill. Bush varieties and small pumpkin varieties can be planted closer together.

Water your vines regularly as needed to keep the soil moist but not wet. Until they sprout, water gently to avoid rinsing away the soil and exposing the seeds to birds or other wildlife. Irrigation hoses can provide optimal water directly to the roots and soil efficiently.

Thin the seedlings approximately two weeks after sprouting, leaving the strongest two or three plants in each hill.

Side dress with 1 pint of 13-0-44 fertilizer per 100-foot row. Apply fertilizer on each side of the plants, approximately 6 to 8 inches from the plant.