When to plant winter squash / pumpkin in Oakland
Winter squash / Pumpkin is frost-tender, so every date keys off Oakland's last spring frost.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
May 10 – May 31
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Aug 3 – Sep 7
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
85 – 120 d
From sowing to first pick.
Common questions
When can I sow winter squash / pumpkin outdoors in Oakland?
Direct-sow around early May (May 10–May 31) in Oakland, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 79%.
When will winter squash / pumpkin be ready to harvest in Oakland?
Expect to harvest from around early August (Aug 3–Sep 7) in Oakland, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 73%.
How long is the growing season in Oakland?
Oakland has roughly 365 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 Oakland's frost dates.
Confidence 81/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.