Autumn time is harvest time. In the bed and on the balcony, the bright, plump pumpkins promise delicious enjoyment and creative decoration ideas. The following lines explain how you can determine when the harvest is ready and harvest it professionally.
When is a pumpkin ready to harvest?
A pumpkin is ready to harvest when its skin is smooth and intact, with no green spots, and the fruit stalk appears firm and woody. The knock test – a hollow, muffled sound when tapping on the peel – further confirms that the pumpkin is ready for harvest.
How the knock test works
If the summer was warm and dry, there is the best chance of the harvest starting at the end of August. A ripe pumpkin presents itself with a smooth, intact shell. Green spots should no longer be visible on it. Also take a look at the fruit stem. If it is firm and woody, this is another indication that it is ready for harvest.
An experienced hobby gardener can obtain final certainty with the traditional knock test. Just tap the bowl and listen. If it sounds hollow and dull, the pumpkin is ripe.
Pumpkin harvest requires sensitivity
When faced with a mighty pumpkin, no one would think of handling it with kid gloves. In fact, proper harvesting requires a good deal of sensitivity. Even the smallest injuries to the shell can cause rot. You should be particularly careful with the fruit stalk.
- cut the pumpkin with a disinfected, freshly sharpened knife
- a piece of the stem remains on the fruit
- leave dried flowers on the bowl
If the first frost is just around the corner, you can harvest the pumpkin early. Even the strongest pumpkin variety cannot survive a night outside in sub-zero temperatures. Carry the fruit in a warm, bright room with temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius. Here the pumpkin will ripen wonderfully within 2 to 3 weeks without losing any of its quality.
Tips for proper storage
A successful harvest should always result in suitable storage. As long as a pumpkin is not cut, it will last for many months under the following conditions:
- the deposit is dry with temperatures around 12 degrees Celsius
- An airy basement room or a cool, frost-free garage is exemplary
- each pumpkin lies on a base made of Styrofoam or wood
If it is an ornamental pumpkin, drying is considered an efficient method of preservation. Since real ornamental pumpkins are not suitable for consumption anyway, you can create a shelf life of months in this way.
Tips & Tricks
Impatient hobby gardeners use the following trick to speed up the final ripening process. The pumpkin is no longer watered. In addition, all roots at a distance of half a meter are cut with the spade.
