When to plant winter squash and pumpkins in Burns, OR

Plant winter squash and pumpkins in the garden in Burns Jun 11 – Jul 2, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors May 14–21.

Moderate Plant seeds or young plants

Why these dates

Burns's typical last spring frost is June 11. Frost kills winter squash and pumpkins, so planting starts once frost risk drops, around June 11. Keep row cover or a frost blanket handy for the first couple of weeks, since a late frost is still possible. The season here is short for this crop: use young plants rather than seeds, choose the fastest variety you can find, and cover plants on cool nights.

High desert and mountains. Central and high eastern Oregon. Frost is possible almost any month. Use row covers, wall-o-water or cloches for warm crops, and choose short-season varieties.

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

Step by step

Start seeds indoors May 14–21 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 Jun 11 – Jul 2, 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 here

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.

Long season. Harvest before hard frost and cure in a warm spot for storage.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Burns, OR?

Typically June 11. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by June 28. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Burns Municipal Airport.

Is it too late to plant winter squash and pumpkins in Burns?

The spring planting window runs through July 2. Later plantings may not have time to produce before the first fall frost, which usually arrives around September 6.

When should I start winter squash and pumpkins from seed indoors in Burns?

May 14 to May 21, which is 4 to 3 weeks before the June 11 planting date. Or buy young plants at a garden center instead.

Also plant in Burns around the same time

Planting dates for winter squash and pumpkins in nearby areas

Bend and Redmond, OR Jun 9–30
Klamath Falls, OR Jun 9–30
Baker City, OR May 25 – Jun 15

Full planting calendar for Burns · Winter squash and pumpkins in every city