Plant Pumpkins in Zone 9b

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 9b

Start indoors

Jan 25

Transplant

Mar 1

Direct sow

Mar 1

Harvest (~100d)

Jun 9

Zone 9b averages 298 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around February 15 to a first fall frost around December 10. Pumpkins needs roughly 100 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 34 percent of that window. Pumpkins is a tender crop, which is what decides where in the window it belongs.

Because pumpkins needs a head start, sow seed indoors around Jan 25, about 3 weeks ahead of the Zone 9b last frost. Transplants go out around Mar 1. Starting earlier than that in Zone 9b usually backfires: plants outgrow their cells and stall when they finally hit cold soil. At 100 days to harvest, a 298-day Zone 9b season has room for about 2 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: pumpkins in Zone 9b

Pumpkins has no useful fall window in Zone 9b. Pumpkins are already a fall harvest, but they are planted in early summer. There is no second sowing.

Pumpkins are already a fall harvest, but they are planted in early summer. There is no second sowing.

Fall dates are counted backward from the Zone 9b average first frost, not forward from a sowing date. See the fall planting calendar by zone for the full method.

Spring vs fall pumpkins in Zone 9b

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Jan 25	Mar 1	Jun 9
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Feb 15

First fall frost

Dec 10

Growing season

298 days

Pumpkins in nearby zones

Pumpkins in Zone 9a (colder) Pumpkins in Zone 10a (warmer) Full Pumpkins grow guide Zone 9b planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 9b

Tomatoes in Zone 9b Peppers in Zone 9b Cucumbers in Zone 9b Lettuce in Zone 9b Zucchini in Zone 9b Carrots in Zone 9b Beans (bush) in Zone 9b Peas in Zone 9b Broccoli in Zone 9b Spinach in Zone 9b Kale in Zone 9b Onions in Zone 9b Garlic in Zone 9b Potatoes in Zone 9b Squash (winter) in Zone 9b Corn in Zone 9b Radishes in Zone 9b Beets in Zone 9b Eggplant in Zone 9b Basil in Zone 9b Cilantro in Zone 9b Parsley in Zone 9b Sunflowers in Zone 9b

Frequently asked questions

When should I start pumpkins in Zone 9b?

Start pumpkins seeds indoors around Jan 25 (Zone 9b).

Can I direct sow pumpkins in Zone 9b?

Yes, direct sow around Mar 1.

Can I plant pumpkins in the fall in Zone 9b?

Pumpkins has no useful fall window in Zone 9b. Pumpkins are already a fall harvest, but they are planted in early summer. There is no second sowing.

Will pumpkins survive frost in Zone 9b?

No. Pumpkins is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 9b planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of pumpkins fit in a Zone 9b season?

About 2. Zone 9b averages 298 frost-free days and pumpkins needs roughly 100 days plus a couple of weeks of turnaround, so sowing every 57 days keeps a supply coming.