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Pumpkins are a warm-soil crop. The calendar date matters less than what the soil thermometer says, and that decides whether you sow in the ground or give the plants a head start indoors.
Two ways in, one soil rule
University of Minnesota Extension’s guide to pumpkins and winter squash offers two routes. You can sow seed directly in the garden in late May to early June, or start seeds indoors in late April and move the seedlings out later. Both routes hang on the same number: the soil should be at least 65°F.
For direct seeding, the guide says vine crops need soil of 65°F measured two inches down to germinate properly. For transplants, the same 65°F applies at planting time. The dates are Minnesota’s, so treat them as a reference point inside zones 5-6 rather than a fixed date for every yard.
Worked example
Take the indoor route and start seeds in late April.
- Indoors, late April: sow into pots or cells at least two inches wide and deep.
- About four weeks later, late May: the seedlings are ready to move. The guide says they take about four weeks from seeding to transplanting and should have two to three true leaves.
- Transplant when the soil reaches 65°F, after hardening the seedlings off.
Four weeks from late April lands in late May, which matches the direct-sow window the guide gives. The indoor start does not beat the soil, it only lets you plant a bigger seedling the day the soil is ready.
Before you plant, check off
0 of 5 ready