How to grow pumpkins in a raised bed

Pumpkins are the sprawlers of the veggie patch — give them room and a sunny spot and they'll reward you with fruit that stores for months. Let the vines trail out of a raised bed and along the ground.

Quick facts

• Position: full sun, 6+ hours
• Spacing: one plant per 1–2 m — they roam
• Tub depth: our 35 cm depth
• Time to harvest: 14–20 weeks

When should I plant pumpkins?

Pumpkins are frost-tender — plant from spring into early summer once the soil is warm. Our free garden calendar shows the right months for your postcode.

• Subtropical (Brisbane & SEQ): August to January
• Temperate (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth): September to December
• Cool & mountain (Tasmania, Canberra, highlands): November to December
• Tropical (Cairns, Darwin): April to September
• Arid inland: September to November

How do I grow pumpkins in a raised bed?

Plant into rich, well-fed mix at the edge of a bed and let the vines trail out. Good spacing and airflow help fend off powdery mildew, which pumpkins are prone to. Hand-pollinate a few flowers in the morning if bees are scarce.

How often should I water and feed pumpkins?

Water deeply at the base and keep it even; water the soil, not the leaves, in the morning. They're hungry, so feed while the fruit swells.

What pests attack pumpkins?

Keep an eye out for aphids, the 28-spotted ladybird and fruit fly. Most are easily managed — see our safe pest guide.

What diseases affect pumpkins?

The main ones are powdery mildew, downy mildew and mosaic virus. Good airflow, morning watering and steady moisture prevent most.

What grows well with pumpkins?

Beans and sweet corn are the classic 'three sisters' companions; nasturtiums lure aphids away. See our companion planting guide.

When do I harvest pumpkins?

Harvest when the skin is hard and the stem has dried and corked. Leave a length of stem on, and cure in the sun for a week or two — well-cured pumpkins keep for months.

Plan your patch: our free garden calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.

Image: Agnes Monkelbaan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.