6 Best Pumpkin Varieties to Grow in 2023 for an Amazing Pumpkin Season

Pumpkin season starts well before summer turns into autumn. You’ll need to plant your crops in early May through June to make sure you’ve got a crop that’s worth all that pumpkin spice you crave. 

Once it’s fall, though, that’s when the magic starts! There’s a cold chill in the air, and the leaves turn to red and gold. School is back in session, and with it comes football games, bonfires, and fun memories. It can be a glorious time of year and a nice change of pace.

There’s nothing more “autumn” than pumpkins. Pumpkin spice shows up in favorite foods, lattes, and scented candles. All sorts of beloved baked goods, from muffins to pies, feature this signature fall vegetable. Some of us love savory pumpkin soups, stews, and pasta. It’s always fun to roast some pumpkin seeds after the Jack-O-Lanterns have been carved. And, of course, a day at the local pumpkin patch is a delightful way to spend an autumn afternoon.

Pumpkins come in a variety of interesting shapes, sizes, textures, and colors. They’re almost all useful for fall decorations, but they also have some other great uses. 

Here are some of our favorites: 

1. Connecticut Field Pumpkin - The most traditional of all autumn pumpkins, the cultivation of this variety goes all the way back to at least the days of the Pilgrims. Connecticut Field pumpkins are 15-20 pounds and are a favorite for Jack O’Lanterns.
2. Casper Pumpkin - You can probably guess where this round, white pumpkin gets its name. It’s a great choice for carving a spooky ghost or skull. Casper is also a good choice for painting, thanks to the white skin. Younger kids who aren’t quite ready for carving love this chance to enjoy the fun. 
3. Small Sugar Pumpkin - This one is a standard pie pumpkin. It’s small, round, and has sweet flesh with a good amount of sugar content. It’s really cute, too, and can look quite adorable when carved. 
4. Big Max Pumpkin - If you want to grow an impressively huge pumpkin, Big Max is a sure bet. This is probably the Great Pumpkin that Charlie Brown was talking about. This prize-winning pumpkin grows to an impressive 100 pounds if given the right conditions. 
5. Jarrahdale Pumpkin -  Surprisingly delicious, most people only think of this blue-gray pumpkin as an ornamental. It grows to 12-18 pounds and has a smooth, bright orange flesh inside that makes an excellent puree.
6. Galeux d'Eysines - Also known as “Peanut Pumpkin,” this French heirloom is super sweet and wonderful for eating. The “peanuts” on the flesh are signs of the sweetness within. These lumps and bumps are where the sugars have burst through the skin and formed a rough patch. This is also a favorite Halloween decoration, thanks to the warty texture of the skin.

When the days start to lengthen, the heat-loving plants in the summer vegetable gardens have stopped producing and are dying back. Yes, it’s time to do some cleanup and plant cool-weather crops, but it’s also a time to celebrate the bounty and appreciate our blessings. That’s why it’s so fun to decorate our homes in harvest colors and enjoy fall flavors. The pumpkin is a rich, beautiful symbol of all the good things that come with autumn.

Ready to start your pumpkin patch? Read more about when to plant and how to grow pumpkins.

It’s time to start planning for the 2023 Pumpkin Season. These varieties give you some great choices for creating a bountiful pumpkin patch of your own.