How to Grow and Care for Flawless Pumpkins – Part 2
When is the perfect time to harvest pumpkins?
Part of growing and caring for flawless pumpkins is to know the right time to harvest them. Happy Friday, and welcome to part 2 of our two-part series on growing and caring for pumpkins. On Wednesday, we shared tips or rather tricks on how to grow the perfect pumpkin in How to Grow and Care for Flawless Pumpkins – Part 1.
Today, we are sharing about harvesting your flawless pumpkin so that you can keep them flawless.
Wait till Your Pumpkin Grows Up
It is so important to wait until your pumpkins are mature. Here are a few ways to tell if your pumpkins are mature:
- The skin of the pumpkin turns a bright solid color, most likely orange.
- Your pumpkins will feel hard when you rub your thumb against them and will sound hollow.
- If your nail can puncture the skin, then it is not quite ready.
- According to Better Homes and Gardens:
The foliage looks tired and ready to retire for the winter. Harvest usually ranges from September through October.
Harvesting
Harvesting can be tricky. Here are a couple tips to make it easy:
- Use a sharp knife or prunes when cutting the pumpkin of the vine. When cutting according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, you want to cut the stem about 3-4 inches away from the stem.
- To toughen the pumpkins skin, let the pumpkins sit in the sun for about a week.
After the harvest, what is your favorite thing to do with your pumpkins? Do you love cooking with fresh pumpkins or do you love carving them to use for Halloween?
