Ever thought of transforming that beautiful pumpkin in your garden into a delectable pie or a haunting jack-o'-lantern? Well, if you're dabbling in pumpkin growing for the first time and are itching to know the secrets of a perfect harvest, you're in for a treat! Let's talk about the art of timing your harvest to the exact point where your crop is fully ripe and healthy.
Harvesting pumpkins is a tricky business!
It usually takes pumpkins about 80 to 100 frost-free days to fully grow. It’s harvest time when your pumpkin has grown to its full extent, and the vines start to wither and die. It’s also best to harvest your pumpkins if the vines are rotting as it is unlikely for them to grow any further. You must take care of other technicalities, such as cutting the stem a few inches from the pumpkin to avoid early rotting.
Once you’ve selected your site, planted the seeds, and provided your plant with the optimum soil and other necessary requirements, you wait for the blooms to appear. After their appearance and successful pollination, your pumpkin fruit begins to grow. Here's a post explaining how many pumpkins to expect per vine.
What month of the year are pumpkins usually ready for picking?
As pumpkins need frost-free days and warm soil to thrive, you need to plant the seeds while keeping harvest time in mind. It is best practice to harvest pumpkins in late September or early October before heavy frosts settle in. For a successful harvest, you need to provide proper maintenance and care to your pumpkin plant. Pumpkin vines are known to be prone to powdery mildew and bacterial wilt.
Harvesting Time Can Change by Pumpkin Variety
Knowing the variety of your pumpkin crop - including its expected size and color - can help you assess whether it's ready for harvest. However, there are a few tactics for knowing when your pumpkin fruit is ripe enough to be harvested, and they work for all pumpkin varieties. Let's review the factors you need to consider after the pumpkin growth stage to determine whether it’s harvest time.
1. Surroundings Check
Visually inspect your pumpkins. As a rule of thumb, if the leaves and vines are healthy, your pumpkin will keep growing. If pests, diseases, or infections are present, harvest now. Otherwise, your pumpkins won't grow any further, and you risk rot issues.
2. Fingernail Test:
Poke the Pumpkin. The rind should be firm. If it's too soft, the fruit may rot quickly. Pay attention to the color of the pumpkin, too. If the pumpkin shows its various colors and your fingernail doesn't leave an imprint, it's harvest time.
3. Vine & Stem Examination
Inspect the Vine: If it's starting to dry off and pull away from the pumpkin stems, it's a good sign that you start harvesting. Withering Vine? Signs like a twisting, drying vine indicate readiness. If this aligns with a successful fingernail test and the pumpkin has its full color, it's time to harvest!
One More Pumpkin Ripeness Test
Give your pumpkin a thump. If it sounds hollow, it has likely matured and is ready for harvest. This test requires some experience and a good ear for pumpkins! It's best to combine pumpkin thumping with the other methods we described.
How to Harvest Pumpkins
Here is a step-by-step procedure for harvesting your precious pumpkins: A jagged blade might cause diseases to occur in the pumpkin and encourage early rotting. Therefore, it’s essential to start by cutting the stem with sharp pruning shears or a knife. Make sure you cut the stem several inches from the pumpkin. Twisting and pulling your pumpkin directly from the vine might be enticing once you see your fruit ready, but as they say, just because it’s easier doesn’t mean it is better. Doing so can damage your pumpkin fruit.
Cut your pumpkin using a pair of sharp pruning shears or gardening scissors from the vine. While making your cut, leave a few inches of the stem connected to the fruit. If you remove the stem completely, it is best practice to consume the fruit as early as possible, as it will probably spoil.
Some gardeners follow up by using a 10% bleach solution to wipe and disinfect the pumpkins after harvest. This will kill any harmful organisms residing on the pumpkin. If you wish to eat the pumpkin the same day, wait for a few hours for the solution to evaporate and wash thoroughly before consuming it. Once you’ve successfully harvested your fruit, move to the next step.
What to Do with Overripe Pumpkins
If you see that your pumpkin has softened, is overripe, or has already spoiled before harvest, you should use it for compost rather than letting it go to waste. You may want to cut up large whole pumpkins for faster composting.
Storage After Harvest
If you want to store your pumpkins long, wash them with a mild chlorine solution. Make a solution of chlorine and water in a ratio of 1 to 16 parts, respectively. This will help destroy any bacteria that may cause the pumpkins to rot. Let the pumpkins dry completely. Store your fruit in a warm place around 77 ºF for about two weeks. This will ensure a longer life span. After this, store your fruit in a cool, dry place with temperatures between 50 ºF and 53.6 ºF.
How long will an uncut pumpkin last?
Pumpkins can typically be stored for two to three months. Storing pumpkins in a cool, dry, dark place is good practice. Hot and humid areas are to be avoided at all times. They are best stored on a piece of cardboard. Do not keep them on a cement floor or a rug.
You can also freeze your pumpkins to increase their lifespan. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and bake, boil, or steam them. Remove the soft fruit from the skin and store it in an air-tight jar in the freezer. Before freezing, you can freeze the cubes or mash the pumpkin into a puree.
When do pumpkins turn orange?
All pumpkins fully develop their color once they reach their harvest time. As they continue to grow, they keep forming a brighter color. After your pumpkin plant has successfully passed through all its growth stages, its color turns into a vibrant and beautiful orange.
Note: The color of the pumpkin will depend on the variety you’ve planted. Make sure you check with the manufacturer of the seeds to know what color your pumpkin will form once it has fully grown.
How long do pumpkins last off the vine?
If stored properly, pumpkins last 4–9 weeks off the vine. Some people even store their fruit in a cool, dry place with temperatures between 50 ºF and 54 ºF. If you want them to last longer than this period, process the pumpkins and use freezing or canning methods to ensure a longer life span.
Is It Worth The Wait?
Planting, growing, and harvesting pumpkins can be time-consuming and a hefty task, but the hassle is almost always worth it. They are American natives and require a long growing season. If you provide them with the necessary care and fulfill the required conditions, your pumpkins will thrive, and your harvest will be successful.