Conditional — Some Areas
pumpkin (zones 3-11) has limited zone overlap with New Hampshire (3b-6a). Only zones 3-6 in the state are suitable.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Pumpkin is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is, and slope, trees, and low spots move the last-frost date across a single yard. Enter your address and we'll score pumpkin against your parcel's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Zone Comparison
Pumpkin Needs
- USDA Zones: 3-11
- Soil pH: 4.5 - 8.3
- Sun: Full Sun
- Drainage: well (dry spells)
- Frost-Free Days: 40+
New Hampshire Has
- USDA Zones: 3b-6a
- Last Frost: May 1 - Jun 1
- First Frost: Sep 10 - Oct 10
- Annual Rainfall: 36-50 inches
- Common Soils: Glacial till, Sandy loam, Rocky loam
Plant Zone Range (zones 3-11)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / plant_species_v5.csv. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Pumpkin in New Hampshire
The frost window
Across New Hampshire, the last spring frost clears between May 1 and Jun 1, and the first fall frost lands between Sep 10 and Oct 10 (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last frost to the earliest first frost, that's a 101-day window you can count on — up to 162 days on a mild site in a kind year.
Frost tenderness
Pumpkin is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 42.8°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — so set plants out after the last frost has cleared your local site, not the state's earliest date.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 55 days to maturity (USDA PLANTS Database), a planting right after last frost ripens with 46 days to spare even in New Hampshire's tightest frost scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Coos County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: USDA PLANTS Database. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
Zone compatibility says you can survive winter here. Whether the growing season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Pumpkin wants 40+ frost-free days; a typical New Hampshire site sees ~170 (NOAA Climate Normals). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Pumpkin needs ~1100 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~2900 GDD (USDA NRCS county aggregates), so New Hampshire's typical season clears that easily.
Climate aggregates derive from USDA NRCS county-level hardiness data + Cornell CALS Extension GDD-by-region tables + MSU Extension chill-hours-by-zone (1991-2020 NOAA Climate Normals baseline).
Soil + Drainage Fit
Pumpkin likes near-neutral soil (pH 4.5-8.3). That's the common-ground band across New Hampshire's glacial till and sandy loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your New Hampshire site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
New Hampshire's soils run mostly fine sandy loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel — that map unit, not the state average, decides how pumpkin performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. New Hampshire soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Pumpkin in New Hampshire — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Conditional — Some Areas
- Plant Zones: 3-11 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 3b-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: May 1 - Jun 1 to Sep 10 - Oct 10 (NOAA Climate Normals)
- Days to Maturity: 55 days
What Else to Consider
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but New Hampshire growers also need to think about:
Very short season in the White Mountains (80-100 frost-free days)
In the mountains, fast varieties plus a cold frame or hoop house turn 90 days into a working season.
Rocky glacial soils throughout the state
Build up rather than dig out — a raised bed over cleared ground beats fighting granite for every planting hole.
Harsh winters with deep snow cover
Deep snow is a blanket, not a threat — plant to your true zone and the cover protects what the cold would test.
Growing pumpkin here specifically
Pumpkin needs pH 4.5–8.3; New Hampshire's dominant fine sandy loam soils may or may not deliver that, so your parcel's SSURGO map unit is the real test.
Start with a soil test on your own ground and adjust pH and texture to fit pumpkin's 4.5–8.3 range. How to handle it →
Timing shifts within New Hampshire
New Hampshire isn't one climate. In Coos County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Apr 27 — roughly 11 days later than the recorded state median — so plant pumpkin to your county's window, not the statewide date.
County last-freeze dates: NOAA/PRISM Climate Normals 1991-2020, 28°F threshold (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Pumpkin draws pollinators (moderate value, USDA PLANTS Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops.
New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
For New Hampshire-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for pumpkin, the canonical source is UNH Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Pumpkin native to New Hampshire?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Pumpkin as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Hampshire's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Hampshire natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The New Hampshire growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Pumpkin in New Hampshire
When can I plant Pumpkin in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's last spring frost clears between May 1 and Jun 1, and the first fall frost lands between Sep 10 and Oct 10 (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Pumpkin is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 42.8°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — so wait until the last frost has cleared your specific site before planting out.
Can Pumpkin mature before first frost in New Hampshire?
Yes — Pumpkin matures in 55 days (USDA PLANTS Database), and New Hampshire's dependable frost-free window runs 101 days (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020), leaving 46 days of margin. Plant just after last frost and it ripens ahead of the first fall frost.
What hardiness zone is Pumpkin grown in across New Hampshire?
New Hampshire spans USDA hardiness zones 3b-6a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Pumpkin carries a range of zones 3-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical New Hampshire site have?
A typical New Hampshire site sees ~170 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Pumpkin needs 40+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Coos, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Pumpkin native to New Hampshire?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Pumpkin as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Hampshire's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Hampshire natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Pumpkin in New Hampshire?
Pumpkin prefers pH 4.5-8.3 and well (dry spells) drainage (USDA PLANTS Database). That sits in the common-ground band across New Hampshire soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Pumpkin actually grow on my specific land in New Hampshire?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores pumpkin against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in New Hampshire
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores pumpkin against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →