Will there be enough pumpkins for Halloween 2026?
With record-breaking temperatures in summer 2026, could Halloween be at stake?
It’s no surprise that the scorching weather from late May to August is causing some Autumn repercussions, and whether we have enough pumpkins to go around could be among them!
Why could there be a pumpkin shortage?
The BBC reported on 5 September that summer 2026 was the UK’s hottest on record (in a dataset going back to 1884) and that England had its driest July since 1836.
This meant that pumpkin crops started growing far earlier than usual, and farmers were concerned about the pumpkins growing, maturing and rotting way before Halloween arrived.
Farmers have generally found that this years’ hot, dry conditions brought their pumpkins on much earlier than normal. Others have mentioned that medium pumpkins will likely be limited and larger gourds will be scarce this year.
Devon Pumpkin Picking: “nothing short of a miracle”
In a post on Instagram (@devonpumpkinpicking), the farm wrote:
“What a year for trying to grow… well, anything! In farming, the word resilience gets used a lot, and my word, these pumpkins have performed nothing short of a miracle! Despite some of the driest growing conditions we could have imagined, they’ve been resilient and kept going, and we couldn’t be more pleased with how the patch is looking.”
Despite the tough season, the farm says it will have a “wonderful 8-acre patch packed with a huge variety of pumpkins” this October. There is one change worth noting for visitors, though: this year Devon Pumpkin Picking is consolidating to a single site at Paignton, and will not be opening its Bickington patch.
The Paignton site will be open on the 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th and between the 24th and 31st October 2026. Entry is free and no prior booking is required. More information is available on their website.
Jolly Pumpkin: harvest in, tickets dropping soon
In Exeter and Wellington, Jolly Pumpkin said the “majority of this year’s harvest is now safely in,” with a little more picking to finish once the weather allows. Preparations for their pick-your-own sites are “in full swing, with new props, games and plenty of other bits and pieces being created ready for October.”
Jolly Pumpkin is open on the 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th and between the 24th and 31st October 2026. Tickets are pre-bookable on their website – do book in advance, as they sell out on weekends!
Orway Porch Farm: “big pumpkins, in short supply at other patches”
Orway Porch Farm posted on Instagram that they have plenty of large pumpkins this year and added: “P.S we have big pumpkins, they are in short supply at other patches this year!!!”; Orway Porch Farm is open on 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th and between the 24th and 31st October, 10am – 4pm, with free entry and no booking required.
The farm also offers disabled access, a dog-friendly patch, a hard-standing car park, refreshments, a covered picnic area, farm animals and free games. See more information on their website.
You can check out my full lists of pumpkin patches in Devon and pumpkin patches in Cornwall for more.
So, will there be pumpkins?
Based on what South West farms themselves are saying, the answer looks like yes, but with caveats.
Some patches battled real difficulty and have scaled back to fewer sites; others report a near-normal season.
The safest advice is not to leave it too late if you want a bigger pumpkin, since the biggest ones are the ones in shortest supply this year.
This piece draws on reporting from BBC News and posts from Devon Pumpkin Picking, Jolly Pumpkin and Orway Porch Farm on Instagram. Details from social media posts have not been independently verified beyond what’s stated in the posts themselves.
