Volunteer pumpkin....when to harvest?

Question

With all the rain in Texas this year, I had a small pumpkin patch come up where I tossed the seeds from last year's jack-o-lantern. There is a very nice pumpkin growing that I would like to use for this Halloween. It is already orange and (I assume) ripening. With four months between now and then I am wondering if I should harvest it or leave it on the stalk. If I do harvest, how do I keep it until October?

Answer 1

The indicator I've always used for picking pumpkins/winter squash is brown stem (vs green while it's growing). I'd keep an eye out for that to help decide when to cut it off the vine. I don't think I'd recommend leaving it on the vine too long after it starts to look ripe - better to get it up off the wet dirt (and out of the rain if it's still raining) to prevent mold and bugs from getting a hold of it.

Keeping a pumpkin until October might be tough, but if you have somewhere cool and dry you can put it, it should be ok.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Pumpkins will continue to grow as long as they are still on the vine. One thing you could do is get rid of all the other pumpkins on the vine and see how big your one pumpkin will grow. You will have to keep an eye out for the dreaded squash bug because it can kill your pumpkin vine with one diseased bite. Although I'm typically opposed to chemical treatments, a weekly spray of Sevin should stop them.

Answer 3

the size relies upon on what you like. We harvested approximately 15 zucchinis so some distance and maximum have been 12 to fifteen inches long and approximately 4 to six inches in girth. We had a pair that have been small yet we gave them to my sister in view that there is basically her in her enjoyed ones and a large one could be too plenty. we've had no concern baking them off interior the oven or pan frying them in olive oil, onion and garlic. As for stuffing i might probable persist with smaller zucchini because of the fact it might take much less to fill it. We parboiled 2 and placed them interior the freezer for later use. we've 2 interior the frig. and that i think of we can gently bread those and fry them.

Answer 4

With the unusually hot summer we've had here in Western Washington, mine have been orange for several weeks. Now that it may start raining, I don't want them to get mushy. A horticulturist friend said to cut them off the vine, then keep in a cool place, (garage), until needed. Hope mine will make it until mid to late October for my grandson's Halloween.

Answer 5

wait until the vine dies down, you should have time for halloween,being from australia we don't have your problem.