Pumpkins generally take between 90 to 120 days (about 3 to 4 months) to grow from planting to harvest, depending on the variety and growing conditions
. Here is a breakdown of the growth timeline:
- Germination: Pumpkin seeds typically germinate within 5 to 10 days after planting when the soil is warm
- Seedling and vine growth: After germination, true leaves appear within about a week, and vines start growing rapidly
- Flowering: Pumpkin plants usually begin to bloom 8 to 10 weeks after planting. Male flowers appear first, followed by female flowers about 10 days later
- Pollination and fruit development: Once female flowers are pollinated, fruit begins to form and grows over the next 40 to 60 days until mature
- Harvest: Pumpkins are ready to harvest when the vines start to wither and the fruit has developed a deep orange color (depending on variety). A ripe pumpkin will sound hollow when tapped
To ensure pumpkins fully mature before autumn, planting is usually done in mid to late spring (April to June in many regions), giving pumpkins enough warm growing days to ripen by early fall
. In summary, from seed to harvest, expect pumpkins to take roughly 3 to 4 months, with about 2-2.5 months of vine growth and flowering before fruit maturation
