Key takeaways
- Carving pumpkins are planted late May to early June and take 90–120 days to mature.
- No bees, no pumpkins : each flower opens for just one morning.
- Illinois grows the most pumpkins, mostly for canning.
- A reported 3,156-pound giant pumpkin set a new world record on October 10, 2026.
Every October, millions of pumpkins sit on porches across America. Each one has a backstory that began months earlier in a field, with a seed, a bee and a lot of summer sunshine. Following that journey makes the humble jack-o'-lantern a little more remarkable.
Pumpkins: an American native
Pumpkins and other squashes belong to the genus Cucurbita, domesticated in the Americas thousands of years ago. Indigenous peoples grew squash alongside corn and beans in the "Three Sisters" system, in which the plants support each other. European settlers adopted pumpkins quickly, and by the 1800s, when Irish immigrants switched from turnips to pumpkins for their Halloween lanterns, the pumpkin was already part of American harvest culture (see The Story of the Jack-o'-Lantern).
Bred for carving
Not all pumpkins are equal. The orange jack-o'-lantern pumpkin is usually a variety of Cucurbita pepo bred for:
- Thin walls that are easy to cut
- A flat base so it stands upright
- A strong, attractive stem
- Bright, even orange color
- A round or slightly tall shape with a smooth face
The Howden pumpkin, bred in Massachusetts in the 1970s, became the classic carving pumpkin, and many modern varieties descend from it. Other types serve different purposes:
| Type | Use |
|---|---|
| Carving (Howden, Connecticut Field) | Jack-o'-lanterns |
| Pie or sugar pumpkins | Cooking and baking |
| Processing pumpkins | Canned pumpkin |
| White pumpkins | Decoration and painting |
| Heirlooms (Cinderella, Jarrahdale, warty) | Decoration and cooking |
| Miniatures | Table décor, kids |
| Giants (Atlantic Giant) | Competitions |
Planting: late spring
Halloween pumpkins are usually planted from late May to early June. Timing is everything: plant too early and the pumpkins rot before October; plant too late and they won't be ready. Most carving varieties need about 90 to 120 days to mature.
Pumpkins are hungry plants. They need warm soil, full sun, lots of water and plenty of space : their vines can sprawl for many feet.
Pollination: the bee's job
Each pumpkin plant produces separate male and female flowers. Each flower opens for just one morning. Bees : especially native squash bees, which specialize in squash and pumpkin flowers, along with honeybees and bumblebees : must carry pollen from male to female flowers during that short window. A well-pollinated flower becomes a well-shaped pumpkin; poor pollination can mean small or misshapen fruit.
Summer growth
Through July and August the fruit swells rapidly. Farmers manage weeds, water, pests such as squash bugs and vine borers, and diseases like powdery mildew. Some rotate pumpkins so they color evenly.
Harvest: September
Pumpkins are ready when the skin is fully colored and hard : you shouldn't be able to dent it with a fingernail : and the stem begins to dry. Farmers cut the stem with shears, leaving several inches attached. Pumpkins may be cured in the sun for a week or two to harden the skin, which helps them last.
From field to porch
From the field, pumpkins go to:
- Pick-your-own patches, where some are left in the field for visitors to "find" : see America's Best Pumpkin Patches
- Farm stands and markets
- Grocery stores and garden centers, often shipped by truck in large bins
- Fundraiser pumpkin patches run by churches and schools
- Canneries, for processing varieties
Where pumpkins grow
Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state : much of the crop around central Illinois is processing pumpkins destined for canned pumpkin, and the village of Morton calls itself the "Pumpkin Capital of the World." Many other states : including California, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington : grow large crops of carving and decorative pumpkins.
Giant pumpkins
Competitive giant pumpkins are a different species, Cucurbita maxima, usually the Atlantic Giant variety developed by Canadian grower Howard Dill. Growers obsess over genetics, soil, water and shade, and a top pumpkin can gain dozens of pounds a day in midsummer.
The records keep tumbling:
- In 2023, Minnesota grower Travis Gienger set a world record of 2,749 pounds at Half Moon Bay, California.
- In early October 2026, British grower Ian Paton set a new mark of nearly 2,857 pounds.
- Just a week later, on October 10, 2026, Ron Wallace of Coventry, Rhode Island, weighed a reported 3,156-pound pumpkin at the Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Warren, Rhode Island : a new Guinness World Record.
Giant pumpkins aren't great for carving : their walls are very thick : but some are hollowed into boats for pumpkin regattas.
Your pumpkin at home
Once you bring it home:
- Store uncarved in a cool, dry spot out of direct sun; it can last weeks or even months.
- Carve 2–4 days before Halloween : see the Pumpkin Carving Masterclass.
- Light it safely with LEDs.
- Roast the seeds for a snack.
Not ready to commit to a design? Try it in the free Pumpkin Carving Studio first.
After Halloween
The journey doesn't have to end in a trash bag. Pumpkins can be:
- Eaten : even carving pumpkins are edible, if stringier
- Composted : remove candles and paint first
- Buried in garden beds to enrich soil
- Donated to farms, zoos or sanctuaries that accept them (call ahead)
- Smashed at community pumpkin-composting events
More ideas in Eco-Friendly Halloween.
A short life, well lived
From a seed in June to a glowing face on October 31 and back to the soil in November, the Halloween pumpkin packs a whole season into a few months. Next time you pick one, remember the bees, the farmers and the long hot summer that made it possible.
Questions & answers
Is a pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable?
Botanically, a pumpkin is a fruit : a type of berry that develops from a flower and contains seeds. In the kitchen it is usually treated as a vegetable.
What is the best pumpkin for carving?
Carving pumpkins such as Howden and Connecticut Field types have relatively thin walls, flat bottoms and sturdy stems. Pie or sugar pumpkins are smaller with thicker, sweeter flesh, better for cooking than carving.
What is the world record for the largest pumpkin?
On October 10, 2026, Ron Wallace of Coventry, Rhode Island, set a reported Guinness World Record with a 3,156-pound pumpkin at a weigh-off in Warren, Rhode Island, surpassing a British record of about 2,857 pounds set by Ian Paton a week earlier.
Is canned pumpkin made from Halloween pumpkins?
Usually not. Most canned pumpkin comes from special processing varieties, often tan-skinned squash-like pumpkins grown for their dense, sweet flesh, rather than the orange carving types sold for jack-o'-lanterns.