Minecraft wiki entry for Pumpkin, associated text: Pumpkin farming strategies parallel those of melons. Planted pumpkin seeds grow a central stem that, after maturing, generates pumpkins randomly on adjacent vacant dirt/grass/farmland/podzol/coarse dirt/moss block. If a pumpkin is harvested without also cutting the central stalk, another pumpkin generates afterward without requiring replanting or waiting for the stalk to mature again. If a carved pumpkin is desired, simply use the shears on the pumpkin on the ground, and then harvest it as normal.