| How do I know when my pumkins are ripe and ready to harvest? I want to make pies! |
| It's best to let pumpkins mature fully right on the vine. To test for maturity, press your fingernail into the rind. If the skin doesn't dent, then the shell is hardenend and it's ready to harvest. Take a few inches of stem when you harvest. Your pumpkins should last a few months if you take a few precautions: First, let the newly-harvested pumkins sit in the sun or in a well-ventilated place for about a week. (Protect them from frost.) After that, the ideal storage temperature is 50-55 F. However, I've kept pumpkins on my front stoop up to and beyond Halloween by bringing them indoors whenever a frost threatens. Enjoy those pies! |
