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Growing Queensland Blue Pumpkins (Winter Squash)

December 9, 2013 @ 21:32 By Gavin Webber 29 Comments

This spring and summer so far has been exceptional for growing one of my favourite vegetables, Queensland Blue Pumpkins.

So that my overseas readership doesn’t get too confused, in Australian English, the word pumpkin is what we use for all form of winter squash.  These beauties are no exception.

Queensland Blue Pumpkins
Queensland Blue to the left and right (Australian butter top and bottom)
This variety is quite easy to grow from seed and they only need a few conditions to grow a good crop of these long keeping pumpkins.
Qld Blue seedlings on the left
Full Sun – I have found that most if not all pumpkins thrive in full sun.  This year has been the first where I have been able to supply this condition.  Since building my front yard veggie patch beds, the four Qld Blue seedlings that I planted in early September have all but taken over their part of the garden.  They also need temperatures over 18°C (65°F) to germinate and flourish.  Frost will kill them.

However, there are a few more conditions necessary for this vegetable to thrive.

Pumpkins on left after two months growth (early Nov)
Compost and Manure – I applied bucket loads of both.  The entire bed was filled with mushroom compost garden mix, and I also dug in a couple of bags of pulverized cow manure.  Pumpkins have also been known to sprout out of compost piles, using the warm, moist, nutrient rich medium to produce exceptional crops.
Qld Blue three months growth – starting to run everywhere
Water – Well we have certainly been lucky this season.  It has rained at least twice weekly since September, which is enough to keep these vegetables growing well.  I have only had to hand water a little over the past three months, to ensure that the soil remains moist, but not wet.  This is the key to healthy plants.  Moist soil enables the plant to draw up soluble nutrients.  If you underwater, you deprive it of food, and it you over water, you drown it.
The first fertilised pumpkin

Space – Most pumpkins or winter squash need lots of room to grow.  Not necessarily where the roots are located, but enough room to allow the plant to send out runners on which the pumpkin grows.  The great thing about pumpkins is that the vines will grow vertically as they have tendrils that grip on to objects really tightly.  You don’t need to train them upwards, they just do it all by themselves.  However to promote lateral growth on which the female flowers of the pumpkin develops, you need to pinch off the growing tip of the runner after it reaches about five metres long.  This tip really does help to increase the plant’s output.

Storage – All in all, pumpkins are such an easy vegetable to grow, which will reward you with an abundant crop that stores well for many months over winter.  We still have one pumpkin from last years crop that will get used over the next few weeks.  You just need to have adequate air flow around the pumpkin to stop it from rotting.  I keep mine on a slatted wooden table, well away from moisture and direct light.

Hopefully, now that you are armed with these tips, you will try growing this vegetable next time you plan and plant out your spring garden.Do you have some pumpkins growing in your garden now, or have you just harvested them if you live north of the equator?  How are/did they go?

Addendum; To check out the harvest associated with this planting pop on over to this post titled Harvesting the Pumpkin Patch.  You will be surprised how many I harvested!

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Filed Under: Gardening, Organic, vegetables

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About Gavin Webber

Gavin Webber's daily goal is to live a more sustainable lifestyle, in an effort to reduce his family's environmental footprint so we can all make a difference for our children & future generations to come.

Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Comments

  1. Sharon says

    December 9, 2013 at 21:43

    Ok , the last few years I have had no luck with pumpkins, thanks for the tips, I have mine planted in a different spot this year so I have my fingers crossed x

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      December 10, 2013 at 15:20

      No problem Sharon. Keep trying as that is the way of the gardener!

      Gav x

      Reply
  2. Kathy P. says

    December 9, 2013 at 23:45

    LOL! Last spring, I planted some Australian Butter Pumpkins because you’d written about them and they sounded so good. Well, the entire garden was a complete disaster: 6 months of rain in 6 weeks’ time (and very little sun), followed by nearly a week of 90+F temps. I planted four hills of squash, and from that, I finally got two…count ’em two squash: one small buttercup, and one ABP. When I went to pick the ABP, I found the entire insides had already been eaten out by something, probably a squirrel or maybe voles. Sigh. I do have a hard time with squash in normal years even, because I always lose at least a few plants to squash vine borers, too.

    I figure next year has GOT to be better.

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      December 10, 2013 at 15:22

      Hi Kathy. I have some Aussie Butter pumpkins growing as seedlings, which I will put in very soon. Sounds like you have a wealth of critters that want to do your pumpkins in.

      Hope you have better luck next season. x

      Reply
  3. bbarna says

    December 10, 2013 at 03:39

    Several years ago a coworker brought pumpkin back from a holiday in Vancouver. A friend of hers had grown these strange coloured, funny shaped pumpkins. She had too much and gave me a piece, which I used to make the best pumpkin pie I had ever tasted. They were Queensland Blues. I now have some seeds and when we get our new garden organized this spring, they will be given a nice sunny spot to grow. Keep your fingers crossed. 🙂

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      December 10, 2013 at 15:24

      Excellent work! They are really delicious when fresh, but great roasted after being stored for a while. The skins turn tough as nails, which aids its longevity.

      Gav x

      Reply
  4. Sol says

    December 10, 2013 at 08:09

    hi Gavin, I never seem to be able to get anything to grow pumpkin wise. I think it is the lack of heat from what you have said.

    I thought you might like to read this.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/9523903/Saudis-may-run-out-of-oil-to-export-by-2030.html

    15 years to get my little homestead up and running

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      December 10, 2013 at 15:27

      Could be, you live in the UK right? Give it a few years and your climate will warm up! 🙁

      I think you may have a little less time than you think. Most oil geologist predict “the 2017 drop off” as oil demand outstrips global production as it begins to drop away. Sorry for the bad news.

      Gav x

      Reply
  5. Jess says

    December 10, 2013 at 16:00

    Excellent tips, thank you! Do you suggest pulling off some of the developing pumpkins if there are a lot of them? Last year I had a huge pumpkin plant that only produced ONE pumpkin. I couldn’t believe it! Now I think it might be because there were too many trying to grow on the one vine so they all died when quite small. If you have any advice on this I’d really appreciate it, thanks!

    Reply
    • Yahoo2 says

      December 13, 2013 at 10:43

      unfertilized flowers will get to golf ball size then wither up. You need to wander out into the garden with a cuppa before breakfast, pick a male flower, strip off the petals and … ahem.. do the business with the ladies. This also avoids nasty cross pollination problems as well.

      Reply
  6. rabidlittlehippy says

    December 10, 2013 at 20:09

    The wonderful rain has been most helpful with the garden growing but sadly the accompanying temperatures in those 350 metres further above sea level than Melton means it’s been too cold for much action in the pumpkin patch. I so have plenty of seeds up – around 60 at last count out the front and a further 20 out the back (all different varieties and more to go in yet) but most of them are at the cotyledon stage alone, or just discovering their first true leaves. Last year they were up and growing a lot sooner and the weather I think was a little more friendly as far as temperatures went but even so our pumpkins were small and a little lacking in flavour. Last year was warm and dry, this year cold and wet. I can only hope that the temperatures next week hang around to stay (26 here) so I can have some hope of a harvest. Still, a little worm wee might encourage them somewhat. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Kat says

    June 1, 2014 at 10:04

    I live in Los Angeles, and this is my first year planting these Australian blue “pumpkin” seeds. Had them in the ground in February under water bottles that I bottomed out, like little greenhouses. Now they are from the end of my patio to almost the back fence. WAAAY over the 5 meters you mentioned, but still producing flowers and squash along the way. Some are as big around as a dinner plate. Thank you for your article on them…precious little information in my neck of the woods here.

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      June 1, 2014 at 15:41

      No problem Kat, happy to help out. You will also find that they are delicious when ripe! They make a mean pumpkin soup.

      Reply
    • Sue says

      April 12, 2016 at 22:58

      Hey Kat they can get bigger than dinner plates 🙂 and yes Gavin. QLD Blues make the best pumpkin soup

      Reply
  8. Gwenda Hansford says

    October 31, 2014 at 08:43

    Hi Gavin, I’m a bit concerned about the hay that a friend got for me. I don’t know what kind it is and I’m mulching around all my fruit trees etc. and my vegie bed. I’ve just read an article in the Grass Roots magazine saying about Sorghum hay killed all his vegies, as it has spray residue on it that does it. I’ve just been out looking at my plants and the lemon tree lower leaves are yellowing and I’m just wondering, as I don’t know what kind of hay I’ve got. Any thoughts?

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      October 31, 2014 at 09:56

      Hi Gwenda,

      I certainly have heard of this happening, but have not experienced it myself. I only use organic sugar cane mulch around my garden, so don’t have the issue of residual pesticides.

      Gav

      Reply
  9. Patrick says

    February 17, 2015 at 14:33

    I have had a Queensland blue break off the vine at its stalk. It was growing over a fence and the weight was too much. It is 16cm across and still a dark green colour and stalk. Will this be suitable for eating? It is the first time I have tried this method and ther are numerous others on the vines.

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      February 17, 2015 at 19:18

      Hi Patrick. Yes, I have eaten pumpkins early that have broken off. They are fine if big enough. If the flesh is orange inside then all is good. If not, give it to the chooks.

      Reply
  10. doug stevens says

    August 12, 2015 at 04:05

    im in west texas i planted my qweenland pumpkins im April 1st they took off in may and still going in august but the heat is slowing them down some but my chicks love the pumpkin eaves to eat as i need to trim back some of the dieing leaves .

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      August 12, 2015 at 14:17

      Hey Doug, how many pumpkins did you get per vine? Mine usually give about two per plant which is about average for that variety.

      Reply
      • Denise says

        September 8, 2015 at 11:23

        I got four blue pumpkins on my one vine! Amazing!

      • Gavin Webber says

        September 8, 2015 at 17:35

        Excellent!

  11. Rob says

    October 30, 2015 at 06:21

    will these pumpkins grow in Phx AZ? If so, when would you plant them?
    Ron

    Reply
    • Sue says

      April 12, 2016 at 22:52

      I reckon given a bit of warmth and right watering they would be fine. They are pretty resilient. I once had thirteen enormous ones off a few vines that grew out of seed in compost heap

      Reply
  12. Suzie Sullivan says

    January 20, 2018 at 15:33

    for some reason my queensland blue pumpkin broke off the vine and i dont think it has ripened its still a very light green colour , how can i ripen it ? or cant i ?

    Reply
  13. Lyn Deans says

    March 4, 2018 at 11:15

    How do I know when they are ready to pick? We have 3 vines with 6 pumpkins and it’s the first time we’ve had them grow so well. As you say they love full sun.

    Reply
  14. Godfried says

    April 26, 2018 at 16:20

    My name is Gottie Myburgh from Villiersdorp in the Western Cape South Africa, I gave the Queensland Blue Pumpkin a try and had huge success with it. Not a lot of people here knew about it, but raved about how nice the taste and texture of the pumpkin is. I am going to plan my veg garden better this year for more production as the 1st try was fantastic.

    Reply
  15. Carol Connelly says

    September 22, 2018 at 09:26

    I live in Ontario Canada. My son sent me Blue pumpkin seeds early this year and one vine survived, it grew about 15 ft then attached itself to a tree. I now have a beautiful pumpkin growing about 20 ft. above ground, wish me luck!

    Reply
  16. Bec says

    February 3, 2019 at 19:29

    I planted quite a few seeds I salvaged from a farm bought QLD Blue. They have just sprouted. How many plants do you advise for a family of 2? I live in south east QLD

    Reply

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An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

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