How Often to Water Pumpkins [And How to Save Water]
Watering my garden used to be a source of stress for me. I was always frustrated by the generic advice that everyone gave about watering an inch per week. I even used to measure it out, but it never seemed to work. Pumpkins are easy to grow but if you give them too much water or too little, they get stressed out.
In this article, I’m going to share what I’ve learned about how to water pumpkins and how often I water my pumpkins based on my experience and what has worked well for me. I’ll also discuss the different irrigation systems I’ve tried and the olla system I use today.
We’ll discuss:
The factors that will determine how much water your pumpkins will need.
How often to water pumpkins at each growth stage and how much water.
The best time to water pumpkins.
Watering pumpkins in containers (yes you can grow them in pots).
Do pumpkins like wet soil.
Watering pumpkins in hot weather.
How to know if you are underwatering your pumpkins.
How to know if you are overwatering your pumpkins.
Five ways to water pumpkins.
When to stop watering pumpkins.
How Much Water Do Pumpkins Need
How much water do pumpkin plants need? The general answer you’ll find on the internet is 1 inch per week, 2 inches if it’s really hot and dry. I never liked this answer because the truth is it will vary and depend on a variety of factors.
I live in Southern California. It’s dry here and we don’t get a lot of rain. During the spring and fall growing seasons, I use about 2 gallons of water per week in my ollas. But if I water by hand or when I used a drip irrigation system in the past, it was closer to 10 to 15 gallons per week.
Here are the factors that will impact how much water you use and how often you water your pumpkin garden.
Your Irrigation System or Technique
Your Climate (humidity and temperatures are important)
Rainfall (I know it’s obvious, but thought I’d list it anyhow)
Your Soil
The Type of Pumpkins You Grow
Where You Grow Your Pumpkins
Your Pumpkin’s Stage of Growth
Let’s break each of these down in more detail.
Irrigation Systems
You have five different options when deciding how to water your pumpkins. They will all impact how much water you use (or save).
I’ve found that the most efficient way to water my pumpkins is using ollas. I’ve made some homemade ones out of terracotta pots and concrete and filled them a couple of times per week when it’s hot out. I use around two gallons of water per week in each olla which waters two to three plants on average.
Image: Homemade Ollas in my Pumpkin Garden
The second most efficient way to water is a drip irrigation system. It’s automated and drips the water slowly above the roots. There are a lot of options when building a drip irrigation system, but with my setup, I found that I was watering for about 10 minutes every two to three days. I don’t know how much water that was, never measured it, but that seemed to do the trick.
Image: Above Ground Drip Irrigation (you can also bury them with different tubing)
You can also use a watering can. I find that when I use this irrigation technique, I give each plant an average of 1 to 2 gallons each time I water which is usually every 2 to 3 days. That’s a total of 6 gallons per week.
Another option is to use your hose. When I first got started, I used a hose because I didn’t have a watering can or any type of automated irrigation system set up. I find it’s hard to measure water this way so I have no idea how much water I was giving them each day. I also have found it’s easy to overwater your pumpkin plants and damage the roots using a hose. Let’s just say, I’ve lost a few pumpkins with the hose method.
The fifth way I’ve seen people water pumpkins is with a sprinkler system. You could use sprinklers in a system similar to a drip line. Although I’m not sure why you’d want to set it up that way. More commonly, I’ve seen others use a sprinkler attachment on their hose and move it around their garden to water their plants. I usually see this with pumpkins grown in the ground. Again, it’s hard to say how much water you’d use this way and you may risk creating an environment prone to mildew and fungal diseases.
Depending on what type of irrigation system you use, you may use more or less water in your pumpkin patch. With ollas, I use about 2 gallons per week, with other methods is at least 3x that amount.
Climate
Temperature and humidity are going to play a big role in how much water your pumpkins need on a weekly basis. In dry areas with hot temperatures, like my garden in Southern California, I use more water than someone in Indiana where there is more humidity and lower temperatures.
Hot temperatures will require more water for your pumpkin to stay hydrated. While 1 inch of water per week may be fine for some locations, heat will dry out your soil and cause it to evaporate more rapidly. Because I live in a dry, hot climate, I find that my water needs are closer to 2 inches per week.
During the peak of summer, our temperatures can extend over 100 degrees Fahrenheit for a week or more sometimes. Before I installed the ollas I was usually watering every other day, sometimes even daily, with anywhere between 1 to 2 gallons per plant each time.
Rainfall
If you get rain, you may not need to water as much because nature will do the work. We don’t usually get a lot of rain in Southern California, but with climate change, we’ve been getting more and more. This is something I’ve had to pay more attention to because the ground can’t absorb a lot of water when it comes down in large quantities within a short time frame.
It’s really important to have well-draining soil if you live somewhere with a lot of rainfall because pumpkins are very susceptible to root rot. They do not like their roots to sit in soggy water-logged soil.
Soil
The soil will impact how much water you give your pumpkins. There are three primary types of soil:
Clay
Loam
Sandy
Clay and similar soils are heavy and hold moisture longer. The ground around my house is mostly clay. It’s very dense and thick and becomes really heavy after a good rainstorm. I don’t advise you to grow pumpkins in this type of soil. The roots can’t breathe when the soil becomes wet and it doesn’t dry out quickly. You will have to water less if you have clay because of this.
Loam soil is what I’ve found to be the best for growing pumpkins. It’s a mixture of sand, silt, clay, and organic material. The soil will drain well but will hold moisture without becoming saturated like a bog. With this soil, most people who hand-water or use drip lines water their pumpkins every two to three days with somewhere around 3 gallons of water each time they water.
The last type of soil is a sandy soil. This soil drains super fast. It’s the opposite of clay soil. If you try and grow in this soil, you’ll need to water more often and with more water because it won’t retain the water. It’s more prone to evaporation and drainage. I tried growing in this type of soil and I was using around twice the amount of water to keep the roots moist.
Mulching can also help you reduce the amount of water your pumpkins need. Don’t mulch too close to the stem of the plant.
Pumpkin Variety
I’ve read from multiple sources that smaller pumpkins require less water than larger ones. Those same sources say that smaller pumpkin varieties have smaller root systems (which is true) and they are more vulnerable to the soil drying out quicker. That makes no sense to me. If they dry out quicker, you would need to water more often.
My take? I have not noticed a difference in the amount of water my small varieties, like Jack Be Littles, need vs. my larger varieties, such as Howdens.
Growing Location
How much water you give your pumpkins will also depend on where you are growing them.
For example, if you grow in mounds or rows in the ground, you may use much more water. Many people dam up their rows in between monds and flood the middle. This provides a deep soak to your pumpkin roots because the mounds are up higher than the row. This uses more water.
If you grow in raised beds, I’ve found that I use about 1 gallon per square foot per week on average once the plant is developed and starts to bloom. That equates to about 1 gallon per pumpkin for me because I only grow one per square foot.
Image: My layout for planting pumpkins. I then grow companion plants like lavender and chamomile in between the ollas.
Growth Stage
Your pumpkin plants will require more water as they grow up. While young seedlings and smaller plants may require water more often, they won’t require as much as a mature plant with several pumpkins growing on it. Pumpkins are 90% water (University of Illinois). Once pumpkin plants start to blossom, you’ll start using more water.
While you may not be watering every day or every other day when your plants are mature, you’ll be watering deeper with more water.
And then when your pumpkin harvest is almost ready, you’ll eventually stop watering altogether. I’ll talk more about that and how often to water at each stage in the next few sections.
How Much Water Do Pumpkin Plants Need
Well, as you can see that will depend on many factors and can vary greatly among gardens. My neighbor may have a different irrigation system or their plants may be at different growth stages, thus, they may use a different amount of water for their pumpkins than me.
The best way to tell if your pumpkins need water is to purchase a soil moisture meter. You can get one on Amazon for under $20 usually. You stick it in the ground (be careful not to do it too close to your pumpkin, you’ll damage the roots.) and if it says dry, you need to water your pumpkins.
Young plants and seedlings usually don’t have very deep roots so you can often times stick your finger 2 inches in the ground nearby and feel if it is moist.
At any stage of growth, you want to keep the ground moist, but not soggy or saturated.
How Often To Water Pumpkins
The short answer is as often as they need water. If you use a soil moisture meter and it reads dry, you need to give your plants some water. For mature plants, place it 6 inches down and check the reading
If you have children, think of them like your infant. You don’t put an infant on a regular feeding schedule. You feed them when they are hungry. Your pumpkins are the same way.
With that being said, you will water them more often when they are younger and less often, but with more water, as they mature.
Here’s a breakdown of how often I water my pumpkins by growth stage. Remember that depending on the factors I discussed earlier, this may be slightly different for you.
How Often to Water Pumpkin Seeds
How much water do pumpkin seeds need? Not much. When I first plant seeds, I will water them lightly every other day unless it is really hot outside. If it’s 90 degrees or more, I’ll water them daily.
Keep in mind that you want the soil to stay moist in order for them to germinate. It doesn’t take a lot of water. Your pumpkin seeds are only an inch in the ground so you don’t have to deep soak them. I usually water them by hand using a watering can or hose at this stage. You could even use a spray bottle and mist the ground with it. It doesn’t take a lot of water.
Seedlings
I continue to water seedlings by hand, but that’s because I use ollas and not a drip irrigation system. I continue to water them daily when it’s hot or every other day with light water to keep the soil moist.
If you use a drip irrigation system, you want to ensure that you don’t overwater them at this point. They should receive light watering frequently. I never water them more than a half gallon each time I water.
Seedling roots aren’t very deep so again, you don’t have to water as deeply as you would a more mature plant. But it’s important to water more frequently as they establish root systems and grow their first leaves.
They’re like newborns at this stage. They grow fast, but they need a lot of nutrients to do so.
Vining
Once the plant begins to establish a main stem and some secondary vines with big green leaves, I stop hand watering and rely on my ollas to do the watering. I fill them up with water using a hose and my plants receive water from within the ground. This also encourages healthy root growth.
I have used a drip irrigation system in the past. If you use one of these or you water by hand, you’ll begin watering less often at this stage. On average, I water every 3 days. If it’s hot outside and the soil is drying quickly, I sometimes water every 2 days.
When you water you want to give the ground a deep soak. I would give my pumpkin plants 2 to 3 gallons each time I water them. You want the water to reach deep so the roots will be encouraged to grow deeper and find nutrients and water.
You can also mulch around your pumpkins to help with water loss.
At this stage, you’ll really want to start using your soil moisture meter to get a feel for your pumpkin’s needs. After checking the soil for a few weeks, you’ll start to know what a regular schedule looks like for your garden and how often you should water your plants.
Blossoming & Fruiting
As pumpkin plants develop, they need more water to sustain blossoms, fruits, and stretching vines. This is the stage where heavy watering is really important. Mature pumpkins require consistent, regular watering.
By this point, you should have a regular schedule for watering your pumpkins if you’ve been tracking the soil moisture using a meter. You shouldn’t have to check it as often anymore. But pay attention to any heat waves or signs of underwatering.
If it’s 95 degrees or more, I always check my soil moisture. While sunlight and heat may not bother your plants themselves (pumpkins love heat and sun), it can dry the soil out and that’s not good for your pumpkins.
If you’re watering by hand or with a drip irrigation system, you may find yourself deep soaking your plants every 2 days when temperatures reach 95 degrees or more.
How Often Should Pumpkins Be Watered
In summary, seeds should be watered daily or every other day to keep the soil moist. They don’t need a lot of water, the top few inches of the ground need to be moist for them to germinate.
Pumpkin seedlings should be watered every other day. They will require more water than seeds do during germination, but they do not require a deep soak.
Once the plant matures, it will need regular watering every 2 to 3 days. At this stage, pumpkins require a deep soak to encourage healthy root development and vines.
Continue regular, heavy watering when the plant begins to bloom and set fruit.
Should You Water Pumpkins Daily
For seed germination and young seedlings, you may water daily, but water lightly. For mature plants, water less frequently but with more water.
Watering mature pumpkin plants daily will either result in poor root development if you underwater or root rot if you overwater. If you water every day, your roots will most likely grow shallow and this will affect its ability to find nutrients.
I usually water my pumpkins every 2 to 3 days during the peak of summer in Southern California when watering by hand or when I use drip irrigation.
Best Time to Water Pumpkins
Watering in the morning reduces water loss due to evaporation and also gives the leaves time to dry off in the event that you get them wet. Watering at this time will minimize fungal diseases and conserve water.
The bottom line is if your pumpkins need water, don’t be afraid to water them regardless of the time of day. It won’t hurt the plant if you water it at the soil level and not on the leaves.
Even if you do water from above, most likely you’ll be fine. Watering plants in the sun does not cause leaf burn. This is a myth. And if you water during the day, the sun will most likely dry off your plant leaves quickly. I would be more concerned about diseases if you live in a humid climate.
Watering Pumpkins in Containers
Smaller types of pumpkins grow well in pots. I’m even growing some Jack Be Little’s in a pot inside my house right now.
The important thing to remember about pumpkins in pots is that the soil tends to dry out faster than if you plant them in the ground or in raised beds. This means you may need to water them more often.
Also, make sure there is a drainage hole at the bottom. I was arrogant one year and thought I could grow pumpkins in a pot with no drainage. Overwatering kills more pumpkins than anything else.
When I water pumpkins in pots, I water them until I see water come out the bottom. This way I know the plant has gotten a deep soak. When my pumpkin pots are outside, sometimes I have to water daily in the summer, but most of the year it’s every 3 days.
Do Pumpkins Like Wet Soil
No, they like moist soil, but not wet or soggy. If the soil is too wet you will drown the roots. When the soil is wet, the roots cannot take in oxygen. It also causes root rot.
Watering Pumpkins in Hot Weather
I live in SoCal. It gets hot here sometimes. Soils dry out faster in hot weather. Even if you have a regular watering schedule, don’t neglect to check your soil with a moisture meter. If it is dry, make sure you water your pumpkins.
In hot weather, it’s best to water pumpkins early in the morning to prevent water evaporation. Deep soak them if the soil is dry 6 inches down.
Underwatered Pumpkin Plant
How do you know if your pumpkin is underwatered? Here are some common signs.
If leaves are severely wilted or sow continued signs of wilt
If you see leaves a little wilted mid-day, that is normal. It should recover by evening. If it continues to show signs of wilting, then that could be an indication that it requires water. Underwatering causes pumpkin leaves to wilt because the roots don’t have enough moisture.
If your plant stops fruiting
Most pumpkins will stop fruiting if they are underwatered.
If leaves turn yellow
If the leaves on your plant start to turn yellow, this could be a sign of underwatering. It can also be a sign of overwatering, so check your soil moisture meter for a reading.
If the stem is flimsy
Pumpkin vines should be stiff and firm. If they start to droop, this is a sign of water deficiency.
If the soil is dry
Yes, it’s that simple. Use a soil moisture meter. Stick it down 6 inches and check the reading. If it is dry, your pumpkins need water.
If it grows slower
Pumpkin plants grow fast. If you notice that the growth slows down, check the soil and make sure it is not underwatered.
If the fruit drops
If the fruit falls off your pumpkin, this could be a sign of underwatering. It could also be due to pollination, so check your soil to identify why this is happening.
If the pumpkin feels light
Ok, I don’t know about this one. I’ve heard some people pick up their pumpkin fruits (gently) and if it feels light they will say it’s a sign of dehydration. I’ve yet to read anything scientific that supports this and I’m not sure how reliable it is. But if you want to give it a try, let me know what your outcome was in the comments.
Overwatered Pumpkin Plant
I think more people overwater their pumpkins than underwater. Overwatering can lead to fungi, yellow vine disease, mold, root rot, lack of oxygen in the roots, and ultimately kill your plant. Once your plant is severely overwatered, there really is no coming back from it. Your only option is to plant new pumpkin seeds and start over.
You can prevent overwatering by monitoring your early pumpkin plants with a soil moisture meter and creating a regular watering schedule that meets the needs of your unique garden. And don’t forget to be flexible during high temperatures.
Here are some common signs that your pumpkins are overwatered. Unfortunately by the time you see these, it may be too late to save your plant.
Yellow leaves
Overwatering affects leaves first, causing them to yellow and eventually fall off. In my experience, this happens within a few days to a week of receiving too much water.
While underwatering can cause leaves to yellow as well, overwatering usually causes it to happen more slowly in my experience.
Reduced fruit size
If you notice your pumpkins aren’t getting as big as they should be, this could be a sign of overwatering. It could also be a sign of severe underwatering so again, pay close attention to what your soil moisture is telling you. A soil moisture meter never lies.
Mold and mildew on leaves
You don’t necessarily have to overwater to contract mildew on leaves. Humid environments are prone to this, especially if you put water on the plants. However, it can also be a symptom of overwatering.
If you want to prevent overwatering, check your soil regularly with a meter. If the top 2 to 6 inches are moist, you don’t need to water that day.
Another sign of a healthy pumpkin is lots of fruits. If there are plenty of pumpkins on your vines, they probably have plenty of water.
How to Water Pumpkins
You really only have 5 options in how you water your pumpkins. I’ll cover each along with the risks and benefits of each type of irrigation.
Before I dive into each, it’s important to know that watering the ground around your pumpkin rather than the leaves from above will reduce diseases (University of Mississippi). I have experimented with this and watered my pumpkins from the top and never had any problems. But I did so in the morning and I live in a dry climate in SoCal which lets the leaves dry off quickly. Needless to say, despite my experience, I probably wouldn’t advise you to tempt fate.
Watering Can
Yes, you can use a good old-fashioned watering can. I’m not going to lie, when I have the time, there’s something soothing and relaxing about watering my garden with a watering can. Plus you’ll get some exercise carrying the water back and forth.
If you have a larger garden or live somewhere dry, watering this way may be too much to keep up with. But if you have a small garden, less than 30 square feet, this could be the way you water your pumpkins. It’s also much safer to use than a hose because you won’t have to worry about water pressure damaging your pumpkin’s root system.
Furthermore, if you have a long-reach watering can, it’s pretty easy to water at the ground level and not on the leaves, thus reducing diseases like mildew that come from wet leaves.
If you need a watering can, I suggest at least a 2 to 3-gallon capacity and get one with a long reach. There are a couple of high-quality ones made out of galvanized steel at Gardners Supply. They also have a plastic one that I’m sure works well, but I refuse to buy plastic tools for environmental reasons.
Pros:
Easy to control how much water your pumpkins receive
You can water the soil and not the leaves, avoiding diseases
Cons:
It’s not practical for larger gardens
You will lose more water due to evaporation, resulting in less efficient water usage
Garden Hose
I have used a hose to water my pumpkin seedlings because they don’t require as much water, but they do require more frequent watering. I do prefer a watering can over a hose though.
Be careful with your hose. If you don’t have a nozzle, the water pressure can damage the roots. I lost a couple of plants one year because of this. You can imagine how devasting the feeling was.
When I use a hose during the seedling and germination stages, I usually use a mist setting to lightly wet the ground around the seedling.
If you don’t have a nozzle for your hose, barely turn it on and then kink the hose like the picture below to make sure your water pressure doesn’t damage the fragile roots. Also, water around the pumpkin and not directly on it or next to it.
You should be careful not to overwater if you’re using a hose. It’s hard to measure the amount of water or know when enough is enough. If you have the right soil that drains well, you’ll probably be safe.
Pumpkins are heavy drinkers, but depending on your climate, your soil can get too soggy. You don’t want that to happen. You want the soil to be moist, but not waterlogged.
Pros:
Easy to use, most people have a garden hose lying around
More affordable than buying a quality watering can or irrigation system
Cons:
It’s easy to damage young pumpkin roots with too much water pressure
You’re more prone to overwatering which will cause your pumpkins to die
Drip Irrigation for Pumpkins
This is one of the more efficient methods for watering your pumpkins. There is a learning curve to it, but it’s not hard to put one together yourself. You can buy pre-built drip irrigation systems for raised beds that are already assembled or you can buy parts at any local Home Depot and build one yourself.
These systems are installed close to the ground and slowly drip or release water. You can connect them to a hose bib or an automated irrigation system with a timer. Here’s what mine looks like. It is wired to a Rain Bird System in the garage that I can program.
If you build your own, there are a lot of ways you can do it. You could add bubblers to them or drip lines. You can even buy 1/2-inch irrigation tubing with built-in drips that you bury below the soil. Water will slowly leak from the holes watering your plants from underneath the ground.
One of the nice things about drip irrigation is you can put your whole garden on autopilot once you learn its water needs. The downside is it does take some effort to install unless you buy a pre-built system.
Pros:
One of the most efficient ways to water your pumpkins
You can automate watering
If you build your own, it’s really cost-effective
Cons:
It takes the most time to assemble or build out of all the irrigation options
Here is a homemade drip irrigation system I made for a small raised bed pumpkin garden.
Sprinkler Systems
Some people recommend sprinkler systems for pumpkin gardens, but I don’t. Sprinklers spray water into the air and onto pumpkin leaves which can increase the chances of fungal and mildew diseases. If you use one, I advise running it in the morning or early afternoon so the leaves and vines have time to dry off in the sun.
I’ve seen these done a couple of different ways. I’ve seen people purchase a sprinkler that attaches to their hose. This is the easiest way to do it.
I’ve also seen people install sprinklers to drip lines. I don’t know why you would do this if you were going to go through the trouble of installing a drip irrigation system, but some people do. This does make them more permanent and you can automate them just like any other drip line system.
Pros:
It’s easy to buy a sprinkler attachment for your hose and water a large section of your garden without doing it by hand
Cons:
You risk your plant getting fundal and mildew diseases
Ollas
Ollas don’t work for every vegetable, but they are great for pumpkins, squash, and many others because they allow for regular watering. Ollas are an ancient watering technique that uses clay vessels to slowly release water to your plants.
They are by far the most efficient way to water your pumpkins.
I have homemade ollas made out of terracotta pots and concrete in my garden. They’re not perfect, but they get the job done. They allow the plants to take the water they need without getting too much. Unglazed terracotta is permeable so the water slowly goes into the soil at a pace that pumpkins love.
A true olla is wider at the bottom with a skinny neck that sticks up out of the ground. These are way more efficient than my homemade ones because there is less surface area for the water to evaporate. Here is what a true olla looks like.
Image Source: Gardner’s Supply
You can buy an olla just like this at Gardener’s Supply.
I fill my ollas up once or twice a week and they take care of my pumpkins’ needs. It is important to know that they do not work for young seedlings. When your pumpkins are first planted they don’t have the root systems big enough to reach the water deep down that olla provides. For the first few weeks, I water my pumpkins with a watering can or hose.
Pros:
It’s the most efficient way to water your pumpkins. I realize about a 50% savings in water using ollas.
You never have to worry about overwatering. The roots of your pumpkin will grow toward the olla and absorb water from the clay.
They’re made from clay, which is 100% environmentally safe and friendly. No plastics.
Cons:
They are the most expensive form of irrigation, but they will last forever if you take care of them.
If you live somewhere where the ground freezes, you will have to store them indoors for the winter or they will break.
When to Stop Watering Pumpkins
This was something I didn’t know as a new gardener. If you plan to store your pumpkins for winter use, you want to stop watering your pumpkins a week or two before you harvest them.
By slowly decreasing the amount of water at the end of the season, pumpkins will store longer. Don’t simply stop watering them cold turkey, but slowly dial back the water during the last two weeks.
Depending on where you live, this could be between September and October. If you’re in a location with mild winters like I am, I plant a second crop in early September so I don’t stop watering that crop until sometime in December.
When your pumpkins are fully colored and the rind is firm, it’s ready for harvest. If all of the pumpkins on your plant are ready for harvest, you can slowly stop watering them.
In some places, pumpkins can grow almost year-round. If your pumpkin plant is still producing fruit, don’t stop watering it - even if you are going to harvest some of them.
You can also cure pumpkins which will increase their shelf life dramatically by 6 months or more.
Cole Sperry has built an extensive suburban garden at his home in Riverside, CA. He is a proponent of sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint, as well as eating closer to what nature intended. Today Cole can be found in his backyard garden experiementing with new gardening techniques and buidling garden memories with his children.