When do you pick pumpkins???

[AuntJamelle]

The weather has been so weird this year - alot cooler than normal - and I've got 2 or 3 smaller pumpkins plus a ton of "miny pumpkins" (really a type of gourd) that all look ready to pick.

If I do so now, will they rot before Halloween? Let alone Thanksgiving? Or is leaving them on the vine worse?

My larger pumpkins have not fully turned orange yet so I'm not too worried about them, but I don't want to lose the little guys if I don't have to.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Little Elf]

Keep an eye out for frost warnings and if there is one you can get a blanket to cover them for a while and keep an eye on the pumpkin itself as well. I was able to get an extra two weeks for the pumpkins to grow when I last grew pumpkins.

 

[MrsSoup]

I had pumpkins last year forever it seemed after the pumpkin patch and they did well for quite a long time. I would say if you want to pick the smaller ones they will be fine. Now that I think about it DD and DS had mini pumpkins for almost a year before and they never rotted. The bigger ones will start to eventually but not sure how long.

 

[Cathymac]

I think the little ones would be ok. I think they would rot if you leave them on the vine after they are ripe. I would pick them.

DH and the boys checked on our pumpkins at the farm Satruday..he said there's a lot of them, but still green. Unfortuantely, some of them have rotted (lots of rain here too) and the deer and wild hogs have found them also...but there's still a bunch that are ok! I can't wait to get that first orange pumpkin from our patch on my front porch!