Having never grown a pumpkin before, I'm wondering at what point I should
remove the pumpkin from the vine. I have two pumpkins growing and one is
already totally orange. Seems early to me. Should I cut it off or leave it
for a while?

When I purchased the start, its label identified it as a mini pumpkin, but
these two the size of bowling balls. Not very "mini" in my estimation.

Karen

"AnonnyMoose" wrote in message
...
Having never grown a pumpkin before, I'm wondering at what point I should
remove the pumpkin from the vine. I have two pumpkins growing and one is
already totally orange. Seems early to me. Should I cut it off or leave it
for a while?

When I purchased the start, its label identified it as a mini pumpkin, but
these two the size of bowling balls. Not very "mini" in my estimation.

Karen

You can let them go longer. We grow pumpkins and don't pick till about
Oct. Ist We live in zone 4 central Wisconsin. If you are going to use for
baking you need to let the pumpkins get ripe inside as well as orange on the
outside. If only for decoration can pick sooner.

Harold

harold wrote:

You can let them go longer. We grow pumpkins and don't pick till about
Oct. Ist We live in zone 4 central Wisconsin. If you are going to use for
baking you need to let the pumpkins get ripe inside as well as orange on the
outside. If only for decoration can pick sooner.

Harold


They also keep longer if you let them mature more fully.

Steve

Thank you both. I'll let them stay on the vine until October.

karen

"Steve" wrote in message
t...


harold wrote:

You can let them go longer. We grow pumpkins and don't pick till about
Oct. Ist We live in zone 4 central Wisconsin. If you are going to use
for
baking you need to let the pumpkins get ripe inside as well as orange on
the
outside. If only for decoration can pick sooner.

Harold


They also keep longer if you let them mature more fully.

Steve

"dkra" wrote in message
newsottedmeatproduct- Speaking from experience, I can say that the color
is a necessary but not
sufficient indicator of ripeness.

Let them get good and orange and good and _hard_ -- hard enough that the
rind can't be punctured by your fingernail. I think it's also good to
wait until the stem is fully dry. By then the vines should be dead or
dying anyhow.


Thanks, that info will help a lot. I wish there was a similar test to
determine when to pick pears!

karen