Single hen

[ubereglu]

Hiya,

 

Do you know when I should harvest my pumpkins? They aren't ripe yet as they're supposed to be orange, but if I cut them off the plant to store will they ripen then?

 

Help would definitely be appreciated!!!

 

Liz

[Christian]

Hi Liz

 

Cut away some of the leaves so that the sun can get to the pumpkin and ripen it. Raise it off the ground slightly too, to discourage rot. When you tap it, it should sound hollow. Then cut it off the plant, leaving quite a long stem as pumpkins normally rot from the stem downwards.

 

Try and bring them in before the first frosts, which don't seem that far away

[ubereglu]

Thanks for that, but would it be okay to harvest them just before they're ripe, as they're really not going to ripen before the frosts I doubt.

[chickencam]

How orange are they, if they have started to turn and sound quite hollow you may be ok but they may not keep so well. Leave good stalk length and store them off the ground somewhere cool and airy.

 

We have not harvested ours yet, will propably do them over the weekend, we have some that are a peachy colour and huge which we grew from seed collected 2 yrs ago.

 

We store ours in baskets in our summerhouse which is in NE corner of our garden near the house and does not get any sun in the winter last year. They kept until February when we had some really cold weather and the last couple rotted but they may have been on their way anyway.

 

Good luck!

[Martin B]

I'm going to harvest them on the 28th then put up a sign, PUMPKINS - £3.

 

[ubereglu]

I'm going to harvest them on the 28th

 

Of october, I'll laugh Martin as I suspect the frost may have got them by then!

[Martin B]

Frost?

 

Nope

 

They'll be fine under my fleece!

[Christian]

They'll be fine under my fleece!

 

Won't you be cold then Martin?

 

I can just see a pumpkin in your garden with a 'fleece' on! Will you do up the zip??

[Egluntyne]

They'll be fine under my fleece!

 

Won't you be cold then Martin?

 

I can just see a pumpkin in your garden with a 'fleece' on! Will you do up the zip??

 

That's a kinda cute mental image you've conjured up there Christian.

[SueSteve]

I harvested mine last week, only 2/11 produced, so didn't want to chance leaving them any longer.