In article ,
Martin Sykes wrote:
I'm growing pumpkins for the kids at haloween this year. The first one is
turning orange. will it keep for another 2 months?

Almost certainly. Don't pick it while the stem is still alive,
unless there is a serious risk of frost.

Also, I thought the first pumpkin would be biggest but the second is now
bigger and still green. Maybe it's better to wait until the plant is really
big before you let the first fruit develop? I guess pumpkins ripen after a
limited time so it's possibly best to wait as long as possible so the fruit
gets the benefit of a bigger plant during its development?

Er, more than that. They need a longer, hotter, sunnier summer than
we get to ripen properly. Even when you doo pick it, leave it in a
dry, sunny place to ripen, When fully ripe, pumpkins will keep for
a long time, perhaps a year - UK-grown ones will rarely keep that
well.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.