Rainline Garden
When to plant winter squash and pumpkins in Oregon and Washington
In Portland: Plant winter squash and pumpkins in the garden May 10–31, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Apr 12–19. In Bend: Jun 9–30. Find your city below.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 4 feet apart (vines spread)
- Planting depth
- 1 inch deep
- Frost
- Killed by frost
- First harvest
- About 100 days after planting
Long season. Harvest before hard frost and cure in a warm spot for storage.
Winter squash and pumpkins planting dates by city
| City | Start seeds indoors | Plant in the garden |
|---|---|---|
| Astoria, OR | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Baker City, OR | Apr 27 – May 4 | May 25 – Jun 15 |
| Bend and Redmond, OR | May 12–19 | Jun 9–30 |
| Burns, OR | May 14–21 | Jun 11 – Jul 2 |
| Coos Bay and North Bend, OR | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Eugene, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Gresham, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Klamath Falls, OR | May 12–19 | Jun 9–30 |
| Medford, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Pendleton, OR | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Portland, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Roseburg, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Salem, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| The Dalles, OR | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Wilsonville and Canby, OR | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Bellingham, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Ellensburg, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Everett, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Forks, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Moses Lake, WA | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Olympia, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Omak and Okanogan, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Seattle and Tacoma, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Spokane, WA | Apr 22–29 | May 20 – Jun 10 |
| Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Vancouver, WA | Apr 12–19 | May 10–31 |
| Walla Walla, WA | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Wenatchee, WA | Apr 3–10 | May 1–22 |
| Yakima, WA | Apr 10–17 | May 8–29 |
How to grow winter squash and pumpkins
- Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
- Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
- Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, 4 feet apart (vines spread). If you plant seeds instead, sow them 1 inch deep.
- Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
- Harvest: Cut when the rind resists a fingernail and the stem is dry, before a hard frost. Cure in a warm room for two weeks.
Varieties that do well in the Northwest
- Delicata
- Sugar Pie pumpkin
- Sweet Meat (an Oregon heirloom)
Watch out for
A short or cool season. Delicata and other fast varieties ripen far more reliably here than big pumpkins.
Cucumbers
Zucchini and summer squash
Melons