Giant Pumpkins NZ - Lifecycle of a Giant Pumpkin
Giant pumpkins are a very fast growing plant once they get going. This list shows what usually happens in the life cycle of the giant pumpkin.
This will help you sort out when the best time to plant is, especially if you are entering a competition.
| Day | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | Plant seeds indoors |
| 5 | Plant some extra seeds just in case |
| 9-10 | Seeds should be appearing from the soil |
| 20 | First leaves start appearing |
| 22-25 | Transplant to garden |
| 25-36 | Covering of plants to protect from cold nights might be needed |
| 51 | Bugs that want to eat the plants start appearing |
| 70 | Time to pollinate |
| 73 | Pollination should be successful |
| 75 | Time to switch to higher phosphate fertiliser |
| 80 | Think about shade to cover your giant pumpkin |
| 81 | Water, lots of water and fertiliser |
| 82 | Fungicides may need to be applied |
| 96 | Pumpkin should be around the 50kg mark if all is going well |
| 100 | Skin starts getting harder, and ribs start forming in the fruit |
| 111 | Skin will start to darken |
| 126 | Growth starts slowing down |
| 156 | Pumpkin is mature |
| 160 | Time to work out how to move it |
This is a rough guide to the life cycle of a giant pumpkin, your giant pumpkin may grow different to this, so use it as a guide.
