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How to harvest & store pumpkins

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Harvest & store pumpkins

Harvest your pumpkins when the vines are dry, and fruit is an even deep orange or characteristic color of the variety. The rind should be hard and not easily punctured. Cut a 3-6 inch stem with a sharp knife or pruning shears. Lift the pumpkin from the bottom not by the stem to avoid breaking off the stem. Pumpkins should be free of cuts, scratches or bruises.

harvested pumpkins

Wash your picked pumpkin with a light chlorine solution to help avoid fungal or bacterial rotting. Sources recommend that a newly harvested pumpkin should be cured @ 80 degrees and 80% humidity for 7-10 days to finish ripening and healover any surface bruising but its not always practiced and may not be necessary.*
After curing, store them in a dry, cool place with good air circulation and temperatures around 50-55 degrees with relative humidity of 50-70%. Properly stored pumpkins (50-55 F) can last up to 2 months but if stored in warmer temperatures (70 degrees) only 2 weeks.
Avoid any ethylene gas exposure, don’t store pumpkins with apples or other fruits. Do not store them on hard surfaces like concrete or stack them on top of each other.
*http://www.uky.edu/Ag/IPM/manuals/ipm12pum.pdf

Today there are many types of Pumpkins to choose from, some varieties make great Jack-o-Lanterns, whereas others are better for pies. Their rich history goes way back to Central America.

Choosing a pumpkin
Looking for that perfect pumpkin for your Jack-O-Lantern? Here are some tips that might help.

-Pick a pumpkin with a green stem that is free of bruises, discolorations and soft spots
-Don’t carry the pumpkin by the stem, it can easily break off .
-A thicker walled pumpkin will allow for more imaginative carving.
-Store your pumpkin in a cool, dry place, not freezing until you decide to carve it..
-When carving your pumpkin, tell the Irish folktale tale of Jack-O-Lantern

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4 Comments on How to harvest & store pumpkins»

  1. My pumpkins are off the vine and molding. they are not fully orange. can i still cook and eat them? i’m sick about this as it is our first try and they are big and perfectly shaped. UGH!!!

    If the pumpkins has fruit rot caused by a fungus which starts as water-soaked spots and eventually enlarge and get covered with white mold. It can occur from fruit set to harvest. Eating them would not be recommended. http://vegnet.osu.edu/problem/pb78983.htm

    Comment by Eileen — 9/13/2008 @ 9:20 am

  2. JENNIFER
    I BOUGHT THREE JACK-O-LANTERN SIZE PUMPKINS THIS YEAR WITH THE INTENTION OF CARVING THEM FOR HALLOWEEN, WELL I NEVER CARVED THEM AND I WANT TO AT LEAST USE THEM FOR BAKING, HOWEVER I AM NOTICING SOME SMALL SPOTS FORMING WHICH SEAM TO BE ROT FROM THE INSIDE.I HEARD OF A RASH OF FUNGUS INFECTING LOCAL PUMPKINS IN MY AREA. IS IT O.K TO EAT THE PUMKIN IF I CUT OUT THE ROTTED AREA? IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO THROW OUT THREE PUMKINS UNUSED. ANY ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANX JENNIFER

    Hi Jennifer
    If the spots on the pumpkin are coming from the inside then I would toss the pumpkins into the compost pile. Cut it open and see. If the spots are just on the outside surface you may be able to cut that away. Use you own judgment. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins are not the best for eating so it may not be worth the hassle or the risk.

    Comment by Jennifer — 9/13/2008 @ 9:24 am

  3. Kathryn
    I have a dozen beautiful pumpkins in my garden, but they are only partially ripened, and we have already experienced our first frost. Will they continue to change color, and is there anything I can do to speed the process? Thanks.

    Hi Kathryn
    Pumpkins need warmth and sun to ripen. If the pumpkins are still on the vine, leave them and remove any leaves to expose them to sunlight. If the weather predicts frost, cover them with plastic overnight and remove during the day as it warms up unless it remains very cold.
    Another way to ripen pumpkins and accelerate maturing is to remove them from the patch and place them in a sunny warm spot on a patio, deck, window or a greenhouse. Expose the green side to the sun and rotate periodically to expose all other green parts. If it gets too cold(freezing) overnight bring them inside. The pumpkins may not color evenly especially when exposed to chilling temperatures below 50F.

    Comment by Kathryn — 9/13/2008 @ 9:35 am

  4. When can I harvest my sunflower seeds and how?

    Hi Linda
    When the petals of the flower head turn brown, fall off and the back of the sunflower head turns yellow, cover the head with cheesecloth or a brown bag to keep the birds away. A good clue when to harvest is when the birds or squirrels start picking on the head. Another option is to cut off the flower head leaving a good 10″ stem and hang it outdoors or in a dry, ventilated area (garage) upside down. One suggestion is to put a nylon stocking over the head so when the seeds start to fall off, they will collect in the stocking. To test if the seeds are dry, rub the surface with your hand and they should easily release.

    Comment by Linda — 9/18/2008 @ 1:18 pm

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