State × crop calendar
Pumpkins planting in Indiana.
- Primary crop
- Zone 6a
- 165-day season
- Last frost May 1
- Vegetable
- Frost Sensitive
Pumpkins planting in Indiana is shaped by the state's 6a dominant hardiness zone, last frost date around May 1, and a 165-day growing season. Pumpkins is widely grown in Indiana — commercially significant or common in home gardens and food plots.
Planting dates on this page are climatological estimates from USDA frost-date norms and zone-typical planting offsets. Verify against Purdue Extension for variety- and county-specific guidance.
Planting calendar — 2026
Frost-anchored windows.
Pumpkins · Indiana · planting calendar
Planting windows shift earlier in southern parts of the state and later in northern parts. Use last frost date in your specific county as the reference.
Planting windows
Earliest → ideal → latest.
Spring planting
PumpkinsEarliest
May 15
Ideal start
May 22
Ideal end
June 19
Latest
July 3
Soil-temp trigger
Direct seed when soil reaches 60°F. Plan harvest date first — count back 90-110 days from desired harvest.Harvest window
Typical start
August 20
Typical end
September 19
Harvest timing varies with planting date and seasonal weather — these dates are typical for the ideal planting window.
Growing notes
Pumpkins grows well in Indiana's typical climate. Indiana's 165-day growing season and 6a hardiness zone support reliable production with appropriate variety selection.
Pumpkins is widely grown in Indiana — commercially significant or common in home gardens and food plots.
Agronomy reference
Pumpkins fundamentals.
Soil-temp minimum
60°F
Soil-temp optimum
65–85°F
Days to maturity
90–120
Water (in/wk)
1–2"
Soil pH
6–7
Nitrogen demand
moderate
Plan from intended harvest date — most pumpkin growers count back 90-110 days from desired late-September or October harvest.
Common pests to watch
- Squash vine borer
- Squash bugs
- Cucumber beetles
Pest pressure varies by region and year. Confirm current outbreaks with Purdue Extension.
Common diseases
- Powdery mildew
- Bacterial wilt
- Phytophthora
Resistance varieties shift each year. Check the current variety trial report for your state.
Variety selection
Pumpkins varieties for Indiana live with your extension.
Variety selection
Variety performance is micro-regional and changes with each year's trial cycle. We don't republish variety lists — instead, we point directly at the source.
Purdue Extension →Search the extension site for “pumpkins variety trial” or “recommended pumpkins varieties” to find the current report.
Yield varies significantly by variety, soil, fertility, and management. Consult your state extension service for variety performance trials in your region.
Pumpkins timing. Live alerts.
Bield Farm ties weather and soil-temperature stations in your county to crop planting thresholds — get notified the day soil temp clears your target window.
Start free trial →