Proper soil depth at planting, along with spacing intervals, can also make or break a crop. Recommended planting dates usually run from late May to early July, depending on your location. You may want to consider multiple planting dates to provide pumpkins for an extended harvest period.

Seeds are most often planted at a depth of 1 to 2 inches depending upon the soil moisture at the time of planting. Remember, you need good seed-to-soil contact for optimum germination.

Seeding rates per acre, as well as spacing, should be selected based upon the variety of pumpkin. Each variety has an ideal spacing for optimum performance. A heavy stand can stress your plant and restrict growth thus influencing the size and set of your pumpkins.

In work done by Ron Morse, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & University, optimum yield was achieved by using a semi-bush type plant such as Magic Lantern and equilateral spacing (4ft x 4ft). This type of spacing produced 25% more marketable pumpkins than other spacings with the same number of square feet (8ft x 2ft). (see complete article)

Additionally, many growers produce pumpkins using no-tillage cultural practices. One benefit of no-till is the pumpkins will be cleaner and less susceptible to rot because they are not in direct contact with the bare ground. Hairy vetch and cereal grains can be used as cover crops for no-till pumpkin production. The chart below highlights some recommended spacing for each category.