I get asked now and again when to reap pumpkins or how to evidence if a squash is ready to pick .
Well , on Friday I posted a video demonstrating when to harvest a autumn pumpkin or wintertime squash rackets :
Though those are n’t the good manifestation specimen , I covered the basics in the video .
I know for most of you this is EXACTLY the wrong fourth dimension of class to share a billet like this as pumpkin time of year is long gone . Perhaps it will assist you later this year , though , once you all thaw out and get your gardens going .
Here ’s a agile overview on how I sleep together when to harvest pumpkins and winter squash .
Is the Stem on the Fruit Still Green?
Then do n’t cut it . That means the yield is still take in nutrition from the main vine .
But …
If the Pumpkin Stem is Yellow or Brown, Cut it!
The fruit is no longer receive sap from the plant , so it ’s time to veer that pumpkin or winter squash off and convey it inside .
If the Main Vine is Dead, Harvest That Squash!
Sometimes , as was the causa with at least one of the pumpkin in my television , the stem on the yield may still be green but the main vine is withing away and die .
luck are nothing else is going to happen , so cut the fruit and bring it inside .
If the Fruit is Damaged, Use it for Soup!
If there ’s a rotten blot on your pumpkin or wintertime squash vine , chances are it ’s not going to keep well on the ledge . Go onwards and contract it , then apply as presently as potential . The smack wo n’t be as good as a “ cured ” pumpkin or crush , so I like to remove the damaged portion , Sir Robert Peel and seed the yield , then use them for soup .
How to Harvest a Pumpkin or Winter Squash Properly
It ’s important to leave behind a bit of stem on your pumpkins or winter squash when you glean them .
Like this :
I usually go out about an in . I do n’t pluck the Cucurbita pepo from the stems or break them off , I cut them nicely .
In the video I ’m usingthese Felco piece and trimming snips(which I love for have cuttings and exact trim body of work ) . Those have been a go - to tool for me since I grease one’s palms them for my one-time plant baby’s room . Great little snips .
Any twosome of pruners will run , though . Just be gentle and do n’t accidentally break the full stem off the fruit . That leaves an entree for decay microorganisms which can get down the storage time of your squelch importantly .
Taste Takes Time
Unlike most vegetable which are at their best when sassy harvested , pumpkins and winter squash improve in flavor when stash away for at least a few week .
I like to pick on a dry day , if potential , then allow the fruit dry out a little further on the back porch . Once they ’re good and dry , I bring them inside and set them on a ledge to “ cure ” for a spot .
Seminole pumpkinswill keep for as long as a year … or longer .
Other varieties tend to keep for at least a few months , though some winter squash , like Delicatas , do n’t keep long at all , so practice those first .
And speaking of using Cucurbita pepo and squash , Rachel lately posted a video on how she like to fix and expend the many pumpkins and squash we maturate and purchase from farm stands .
Roasting Pumpkins and Squash
Roasting a pumpkin in the oven is simple – here ’s how Rachel does it :
Enjoy the winter , everyone .
May this post encourage you to look out front to spring and plan out those astonishing gardens with lots of pumpkins and squash .
I just planted some more a few day ago . Ca n’t stop the pumpkins !
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