How To Grow Jarrahdale Pumpkins [Care Tips, Photos and More]

Everyone loves a warm pumpkin pie or soup during the colder seasons.

That's where the Jarrahdale pumpkin shines and is known for, making it a worthy addition to your garden.

The Jarrahdale is a winter pumpkin known for its sweet taste, making it a perfect choice for soups, pies, sweet treats, and other hearty pumpkin dishes.

With its striking blue-grey hue, deeply ribbed surface, and robust flavor, this pumpkin is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate.

Jarrahdale pumpkins are quite versatile and make beautiful centerpieces for any table, as well as unique jack-o-lanterns for your porch.

What is a Jarrahdale Pumpkin?

The Jarrahdale pumpkin is a member of the squash family. Its skin is a cold shade of grey/blue that’s contrasted beautifully by the golden flesh.

Native to Australia, the Jarrahdale is a cross between the Blue Hubbard and Cinderella pumpkin.

The fruit can grow as heavy as 6 to 12 pounds, and its vines can extend up to 30 feet long, needing to be thinned out every so often so the vines don’t consume your plot.

They’re easy to grow and best of all, you can collect the seeds to replant and harvest a new crop the following year.

How to Grow Jarrahdale Pumpkins

The Jarrahdale pumpkin is an annual crop (meaning the crop doesn’t regrow on its own the next season).

If you decide to grow them, be aware that you’ll need to replant the seeds each year. It takes about 100-110 days from sowing to harvesting.

Jarrahdale pumpkin seeds can either be started outdoors or indoors.

They’re very frost tender, so the best time to plant them (if starting outside) is towards the end of April after all the frosts have come and gone—usually, once the temperature is consistently 65 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

If you choose to start them inside, you should start seedling growth at the end of March and transplant them outside to their hills at the end of April.

They grow between May and September, with the harvesting season starting as early as the end of September and continuing through the month of October.

Planting Your Jarrahdale Pumpkins

Jarrahdale pumpkins grow on a vine, meaning you won’t need any kind of trellis or supports to help the plant stay upright.

However, you will have to make sure the plant has plenty of room to grow and thrive on the ground.

It’s recommended that, if you have space, to make the mounds at the edge of your garden so that the plants can grow into unused areas.

Because vines go where they want and grow how they want, you’ll want to thin them out periodically to ensure that they don’t take over your entire garden.

If the plants don’t have plenty of space, you won’t have good growth or a good harvest. Creating hills that are five to six feet apart should do the trick.

Best Conditions for Jarrahdale Pumpkins

Jarrahdale pumpkins grow best in zones 3 to 12. They like six hours of sunlight per day.

It’s okay to plant them in an area with partial shade, but make sure it still gets full sun most of the day.

Jarrahdale pumpkins should be planted in an area with rich, well-draining soil.

For optimal pumpkin growth, you’ll want to give the plants an even watering.

The best way to ensure this is with drip irrigation; however, if you’ve only got a hose, water as close to the mound as possible to get the soil soaked.

Avoid spraying the foliage as too much because consistently wet leaves could lead to plant disease.

A Step-by-Step Guide for Growing Jarrahdale Pumpkins

We’ve written a simple guide below to help you choose the perfect spot for your Jarrahdale pumpkins and care for them as best you can!

1. Prepare the Location

Prepare a spot for your Jarrahdale pumpkins. Once the temperature is consistently above 65 degrees, find a location in your garden that gets at least six hours of sunlight daily and has good drainage.

Create as many mounds as possible spacing them five to six feet apart to leave room for growth.

2. Plant the Seeds

Plant three seeds per mound, about one inch deep. If you’ve started your seeds indoors, you can plant three starters into each mound.

Water the mound thoroughly. You’ll want to make sure the soil is soaked evenly for optimal growth.

3. Aftercare

Care for the plants for the next few months. Check on the mounds once a day and water thoroughly and evenly as needed.

Keep in mind that when you water them, you’ll want to get as close to the mound as possible to avoid soaking the leaves. Moist pumpkin leaves are prone to diseases.

4. Harvesting

At the end of September, start to check for fruits that are ready to be harvested.

Remember that even though Jarrahdales can get up to 24 inches in diameter, some may end up being smaller and ready sooner.

Continue checking your vines throughout the month of October until all of your pumpkins are harvested. Continue watering throughout the harvesting season.

What Can You Do With Jarrahdale Pumpkins?

Jarrahdale pumpkins are quite versatile. Their unique coloring makes them a beautiful accent for centerpieces during large feasts or throughout the season.

Because their harvest is from the end of September through all of October, you can also use them to create stunning jack-o-lanterns for your porch, or simply use them as outdoor fall decorations!

Best of all, their sweet, golden flesh makes them absolutely delicious to use in recipes for pies and sweets, as well as soups and stews.

Where Can I Buy Jarrahdale Pumpkins?

If you can’t find any Jarrahdale seeds in your local nurseries, don’t sweat it! Seed packets are available online to get your garden started.

Jarrahdale Pumpkin Seeds in Pale Green Color

These seeds produce pumpkins that are perfect for seasonal decorating due to their pale green hue and are also among the top-selling varieties.

Maturing in about 100 days, the plants reach heights of 18-24 inches and yield pumpkins weighing 8-10 lbs.

Known as Jarrahdale, Blue Pumpkin, or Grey Pumpkin, they're suitable for hardiness zones 3 to 12.

Check out this Jarradale 10 heirloom seeds on Amazon.

Blue Jarrahdale Pumpkin Seeds Heirloom

For gardening enthusiasts seeking top-tier seeds, these Blue Jarrahdale pumpkin seeds promise quality and freshness.

Stored in a temperature-regulated, low-moisture facility, these seeds are primed for both the current and next growing season.

Each generous packet, measuring 3.25” wide by 4.25” tall, not only showcases a beautiful illustration of the Jarrahdale variety but also provides comprehensive sowing instructions on the back.

With superior germination rates, these seeds sprout in just days when sown correctly.