What are heirloom pumpkin seeds?

Heirloom pumpkin seeds are open-pollinated varieties that have been passed down through generations. Unlike hybrids, you can save seeds from heirloom pumpkins and grow the same variety year after year. Most of our seeds are open-pollinated heirlooms, and we also carry a few F1 hybrids. All of our seeds are non-GMO.

What growing zone are your seeds tested in?

Our seeds are grown and germination-tested on our Zone 6b homestead in Newton, Kansas, and we source additional seed from trusted growers when we need to. Most of our varieties also perform well in Zones 5-9. Each product listing includes specific growing zone recommendations.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes! We offer free shipping on orders of $35 or more. Orders under $35 pay USPS calculated shipping. Seeds ship via USPS First Class, and coffee ships fresh within 48 hours of roasting.

What makes your coffee different?

Our coffee is roasted in small weekly batches, Prairie Blaze right here in Kansas, and every 8 oz bag is packed and shipped fresh from Newton. Available in Prairie Sunrise (light roast) and Prairie Blaze (bold medium roast), ground or whole bean.

Are your pumpkin seeds vine borer resistant?

Many of our Cucurbita moschata varieties are naturally resistant to squash vine borers, including Seminole Pumpkin, Long Island Cheese, Tromboncino, and Mrs. Amersons. We highlight vine borer resistance on each product page.

June 11, 2026

Spring Garden Checklist for Kansas: Soil Prep to Transplant (Zone 6b)

By Autumn Prairie Pumpkins

Spring in Kansas is a sprint disguised as a season. One week the soil is cold mud, the next the wind is hot and the planting window is wide open. This checklist is how we run spring at our Newton homestead, in order, so nothing gets missed.

1. Know Your Frost Date, Then Doubt It

Around Newton and most of Zone 6b, the average last frost lands in mid-April. Average is the key word. Kansas springs love a late surprise, so keep frost cloth handy into early May and never bet your only transplants on April being kind.

2. Wake Up the Soil (March to April)

Mow or crimp winter cover crops two to three weeks before planting and let them break down in place.
Work in an inch or two of finished compost. Strong soil builds strong plants, this is the whole ballgame.
Resist tilling wet clay. If a handful of soil ribbons instead of crumbles, wait. Compacted spring soil punishes you all season.

3. Start Seeds Indoors, but Not Too Early

Pumpkins and squash grow fast and resent being root-bound. Start them indoors only 2 to 3 weeks before transplant, in late April for a mid-May setout. Big healthy cucurbit transplants come from restraint, not head starts. Many Kansas growers skip transplants entirely and direct sow, which brings us to the number that matters more than any calendar date.

4. Wait for 65 to 70 Degree Soil

Cucurbits germinate in warm soil, period. In Kansas that usually means mid-May into early June, no matter how pleasant the air feels in April. A $10 soil thermometer will save you more seed than any gadget in the catalog. For the full week-by-week timeline, see our Kansas pumpkin planting calendar and our guide to when to plant pumpkins in Kansas.

5. Plant With Vine Borers in Mind

Squash vine borer moths fly in June in Kansas, right when young plants are most vulnerable. The simplest defense is choosing resistant Cucurbita moschata varieties, their solid stems shrug off most borer damage. Our vine borer resistant guide covers the lineup, and every seed we sell is chosen with Kansas pest pressure in mind. K-State's MF3309 guide is the reference we trust for management details.

6. Harden Off Like You Mean It

Give transplants a week of gradually longer outdoor visits before they live outside full-time. Kansas wind is its own hardening program, a sheltered porch first, then open sky.

Then plant, water deeply, mulch, and let the prairie summer do what it does. You'll be back in the patch before you know it.

Kansas garden through the seasons

Follow the prairie year from one season to the next:

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