When to plant winter squash / pumpkin in San Diego
Winter squash / Pumpkin is frost-tender, so every date keys off San Diego's last spring frost.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
Mar 25 – Apr 15
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Jun 18 – Jul 23
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 San Diego?
Direct-sow around late March (Mar 25–Apr 15) in San Diego, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 81%.
When will winter squash / pumpkin be ready to harvest in San Diego?
Expect to harvest from around mid June (Jun 18–Jul 23) in San Diego, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 76%.
How long is the growing season in San Diego?
San Diego 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 San Diego's frost dates.
Confidence 84/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.