Pumpkin
Cucurbita pepo
Annual warm-season vine crop (Cucurbita pepo) suited to Zones 3-11, direct-seeded after soil warms to 60°F. Requires a long frost-free growing season, ample moisture during fruit set, and pollination by honey bees. Yields range from 15,000-30,000+ lbs/acre depending on variety and production system.
Crop Snowflake Score
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/acre
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Overview
Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) is a warm-season annual requiring soil temperatures of at least 60°F (at 3-inch depth) for planting. Optimal growing temperatures range from 65-95°F; injury occurs below 50°F and any frost causes damage. Plants are typically seeded in late May to early July depending on target harvest date and growing zone. Plant spacing varies by fruit size: larger varieties (>30 lbs) at 30-40 inches in-row with 10-12 ft between rows (~1,600 plants/acre); smaller varieties (<8 lbs) at 30-40 inches in-row with 8-10 ft between rows (~2,800 plants/acre). Plasticulture (plastic mulch) can double yields compared to bare soil or no-till production. Soil pH should be 5.8-6.6 with good water infiltration and water-holding capacity. Calcium levels should be monitored and supplemented with gypsum if deficient. Fertilizer recommendations in the absence of soil tests are 80-150-150 (N-P-K) broadcast or 40-75-75 banded at planting, with split nitrogen application recommended (half at planting, half at vine run). A constant supply of moisture during the growing season is critical — deficit stress during blossom and fruit set causes flower and fruit drop. One honey bee hive per acre is recommended for adequate pollination. Major pest concerns include cucumber beetles (vector for bacterial wilt), aphids, squash vine borer, seed corn maggot, squash bug, and spider mites. Key diseases include bacterial wilt, powdery mildew, downy mildew, and scab. A scheduled fungicide program is generally needed for optimum yields and fruit color. Pumpkins are hand-harvested at maturity based on color and size, often requiring multiple harvests due to staggered pollination. Cured fruit stores at 50-55°F and 50-70% relative humidity for approximately 2-3 months.
Growing Season
- Plant
- Late May - early June (soil >60F) – Late May - early June (soil >60F)
- Harvest
- September - October – September - October
- Frost-free days
- 120+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 1,500
Yield
- Typical yield
- 20,000 lb/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 1 years
- Labor
- 20 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
Established crop with known regional buyers
Price Trend Stable/Up
Price stable over past 3 years
Supply Below Demand
Regional supply roughly balanced with demand
Multiple Buyer Channels
Multiple market channels: wholesale, retail, processing, and/or direct
Value-Added Potential
Strong value-added potential through processing, direct sales, or specialty products
Market Growth Projected
Stable market outlook
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Region's hardiness zone within crop range (3.0-11.0)
GDD Sufficient
Regional GDD (2600) meets crop requirement (1500)
Precipitation Compatible
Regional precipitation (~40 in/yr) compatible with crop needs
Frost-Free Season OK
Frost-free season (160 days) meets crop requirement (120 days)
Chill Hours Met
Chill hour requirement N/A for this crop type or met by default
Climate Trend Favorable
Climate projections remain favorable for this crop in the region
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
Standard farm equipment compatible or easily adapted
Storage Available
Dry/ambient storage sufficient; commonly available on farms
Irrigation Compatible
Low water needs or rain-fed viable
Field Layout Suitable
Vineyard field layouts suitable for this crop
Labor Availability
Moderate labor requirements; manageable with planning
Processing Proximity
Processing/packing facilities within viable distance in WNY
Equipment Requirements
planting
For tillage, planting, cultivation, and spraying. Capacity depends on acreage.
4-6 row vacuum planter for accurate seed spacing; direct-seeded at 1-2 seeds per hill.
Early-season mechanical cultivation before vines run. Reduces herbicide dependence.
irrigation
Per-acre; optional but improves yield/size consistency in dry seasons. Drip preferred to reduce foliar disease.
spraying
For powdery mildew, downy mildew, and cucumber beetle control. 200-500 gallon tank typical.
harvesting
Flatbed wagons or pallet bins for hand-harvested pumpkins moved from field to packing area.
Only justified for large processing operations (>50 ac). Fresh-market pumpkins are hand-harvested to avoid bruising and preserve stems.
post_harvest
Cures at 80-85°F for 10 days, then holds at 50-55°F and 50-70% RH. Well-ventilated barn is sufficient — no refrigeration needed.
Storage Requirements
Curing
Temperature
80–85°F
Humidity
80–85%
Max Storage
20 days
Long-term dry storage
Temperature
50–55°F
Humidity
50–70%
Max Storage
90 days
Ambient/short-term display
Temperature
60–70°F
Max Storage
30 days
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue ($4,000/acre) exceeds regional average
Input Costs Acceptable
Annual operating costs ($4,800/acre) within typical farm budgets
Payback Period OK
Annual crop; returns in first season
Insurance Available
No federal crop insurance; NAP may be available for some disaster scenarios
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Revenue per labor hour ($200) is competitive
Grants/Subsidies
Grant and subsidy programs available (Specialty Crop Block Grant, EQIP, Beginning Farmer, etc.)
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | $0/per lb (wholesale est.) |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $4,000 |
| Annual Operating Cost | $4,800/acre |
| Establishment Cost | $2,000/acre |
| Total Input Cost | $4,800/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $1,000 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | $200 |
| Crop Insurance | Not available |
| Subsidies | NAP (fresh-market pumpkins), EQIP |
Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA RMA, regional budget studies (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
Moderate pest/disease pressure; manageable with available methods
Market Diversified
Market access diversified across multiple channels
Low Establishment Risk
Low establishment risk; quick to establish or low upfront investment
Climate Resilient
Moderate climate resilience for the region
Regulatory Burden Low
Minimal regulatory burden for production and sale
Diversifies Portfolio
Diversifies farm revenue away from grape monoculture
Known Risks
disease
Universal late-season cucurbit disease. White powdery colonies on leaves cause premature defoliation, exposing fruit to sunscald and reducing handle quality and sugar accumulation.
Soilborne oomycete causing crown rot, fruit rot, and rapid field collapse in wet seasons. Can render fields unplantable to cucurbits for many years.
Wind-blown spores arrive from southern overwintering sites mid- to late-season. Yellow angular leaf lesions and rapid defoliation; pumpkin is moderately susceptible vs. cucumber.
Vectored exclusively by cucumber beetles. Infected plants wilt suddenly during fruit set; no in-plant cure once symptomatic. Single beetle feeding can cause infection.
pest
Primary insect pest of cucurbits. Direct feeding damage on seedlings plus vector role for bacterial wilt makes it a dual threat. Threshold of 1 beetle per plant on seedlings.
Adults and nymphs feed on vines and fruit causing wilt-like symptoms; fruit feeding produces sunken scars that downgrade jack-o-lantern and pie-pumpkin quality.
Larvae tunnel inside vines causing localized wilt and plant death. Pumpkin is somewhat tolerant due to vining habit (rooting at nodes), but heavy pressure can be devastating.
weather
Cucurbits are highly frost-sensitive. Late spring frost kills seedlings; early fall frost can damage immature fruit, shortening the marketing window.
Pumpkin fruit size is determined by water availability during bulking (3-5 weeks post-set). Drought stress produces small fruit that miss the premium jack-o-lantern size class.
market
Jack-o-lantern pumpkin demand is concentrated in a 3-4 week selling window before Halloween. Wet/cold weekends suppress retail and U-pick traffic; oversupply in glut years collapses farmgate price.
Nutritional Yield
Nutrition data pending.
Research agents will profile Pumpkin against USDA FoodData Central on the next maintenance pass. Per-acre nutritional yield will appear here once the per-100g panel is recorded.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Penn State Extension (Pumpkin Production), UMN Extension (Growing Pumpkins and Winter Squash), Cornell NRAES Pumpkin Production Guide.
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie View economics source →
61 tracked changes across 9 data categories