When to plant winter squash / pumpkin in Wellington

Winter squash / Pumpkin is frost-tender, so every date keys off Wellington's last spring frost of Sep 1.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Aug 11 – Sep 1
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Sep 8 – Sep 29
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
Dec 2 – Jan 6
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
85 – 120 d
Wellington's 273-day season leaves this much room.
Winter squash / Pumpkin on Wellington's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
SEP 1
JUN 1

Common questions

When can I sow winter squash / pumpkin outdoors in Wellington?

Direct-sow around early September (Sep 8–Sep 29) in Wellington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.

When will winter squash / pumpkin be ready to harvest in Wellington?

Expect to harvest from around early December (Dec 2–Jan 6) in Wellington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 72%.

When should I start winter squash / pumpkin seeds indoors in Wellington?

Start seeds indoors around mid August (Aug 11–Sep 1) in Wellington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 76%.

When can I transplant winter squash / pumpkin outdoors in Wellington?

Transplant outdoors around early September (Sep 8–Sep 29) in Wellington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.

How long is the growing season in Wellington?

Wellington has roughly 273 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow winter squash / pumpkin to maturity outdoors.

The rule of thumb

Sow winter squash / pumpkin 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out 2–3 weeks after it. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Wellington's frost dates.

Confidence 80/100 · NOAA GHCN-Daily · 1991–2020 normals · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.