Henry David Thoreau wrote: “I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.” While I may rather sit on a velvet cushion all to myself, if the only option was sitting on my own pumpkin, I might have to agree. If any of you faithfully planted your pumpkins this past May-June, it is time to start thinking about harvesting them!
You want to be sure to harvest your pumpkins before the first frost. For our warm Texas climate, the first frost is not usually before November-December. But we do know how unpredictable fall weather can be. If the weather has cooler rainy days before your pumpkins are ready for harvesting, you can lay straw or flattened cardboard underneath your gourds to protect them from rotting.
Knowing when your pumpkin is ready to harvest is as important as knowing when to plant them. Consider these factors before deciding when your pumpkins are ready: color, rind, stem and vine.
Color: You want to look for colors that “pop”. Depending on the variety, they can be orange, white, or grey. Don’t pick them if they are green, yellow, or somewhere in between.
Rind: A ripe pumpkin’s rind should be hard and shiny. You can feel the pumpkin for firmness; or you can thump/knock on them and check for a hollow sound. Another good test is the finger press test: press your finger on the rind and if it indents, it’s not ready to harvest.
Stem and Vine: Check the stem for thickness and firmness. Look to see if it’s starting to shrivel off the vine. Those are good signs that the pumpkin is ready to break off the vine and be picked. If the leaves are brown and dried out, they’re ready to be picked. Try to avoid yanking the pumpkin from a withering vine. Broken stems will rot faster, and you will be left with a potentially sharp/uneven edge that can lead to injury. The best way to remove the pumpkin from the vine is with a knife. Make a clean slice through the stem leaving 3-6 inches of the stem attached. Cutting off the entire stem will lead to faster rotting. During the growing season, the stem provides water and nutrients to the pumpkin and there are still residual nutrients that will benefit the pumpkin after it has been cut from its vine. Avoid picking up the pumpkin by the stem. Their stems were not meant to support its weight and you could cause them to break off.
Be sure to wear a pair of good garden gloves to avoid annoying sticks. Pumpkin vines are covered in small needle like prickly stickers that allow them to attach to the ground or fences which provides support for them to grow. If possible, get a buddy to help you with this process. One person can hold the vine while the other cuts the stem. This way the vine remains steady, and the pumpkin can rest on the ground during the cutting efforts.
Remember your gardening ergonomics: depending on how large your pumpkin is, be sure to lift with your legs and avoid bending your back. This little reminder can help avoid an unnecessary back strain. Once your pumpkins are picked, you can put them in your garden wagon or wheelbarrow and store them till ready to enjoy as a Halloween Jack-O-Lantern, pumpkin pie or roasted pumpkin seeds.
To store your pumpkins, wash and dry them thoroughly and wipe them down with a weak bleach solution to decrease chances of rot. Make the bleach solution by adding 2 tablespoons of bleach to 1 gallon of water. The pumpkins can be stored in a cool, dry, dark location. Lay the pumpkins in a single layer on bales of hay, cardboard, wooden shelves or wooden pellets. Avoid storing pumpkins on concrete as it can lead to rot. Properly stored pumpkins keep for 3-6 months.
Pumpkins can be eaten in a variety of ways. Pumpkin pulp can be pureed to make soup, risotto, ravioli, bars as well as pies. The seeds can be roasted and eaten. You can eat the outer shell of seeds, or you can peel the outer shell like you do with sunflower seeds.
And don’t forget to take advantage of the photo opportunities from your own pumpkin patch! Despite the hard work and dedication to make your pumpkin patch a reality, you will be greatly rewarded!