I came on to ask this exactly question! I will just add my voice to yours: When am I supposed to pick my pumpkin? The skin is hard and orange. If I leave it on the vine, will it rot or explode?imnewatthis2010 wrote:1 of the 2 growing pumpkins I have is almost completely orange, I was wondering exactly when I should take it off the vine?
I had the same think happen with one of my growing pumpkins, a little fellow the size of a softball. I think my plants have too many pumpkins to support so have begun aborting the little guys, but I'm not certain. I'll look forward to hearing what others have to say.imnewatthis2010 wrote:The other one seems to have been staying the same size, green and the size of a softball. I'm not sure if somethings wrong with the vine supporting it or not, It's still connected and not cut, but it looks thinner than some other ones.
The other one, a hybrid, is probably what you have. I found this description at [url=https://www.backyardgardener.com/RUPP.HTM]Rupp Seeds[/url]:Jack O Lantern is a pumpkin variety bred specifically for carving Jack O Lanterns, but they are also very good for making pumpkin pies as well. Jack O Lantern is a deep orange colored, 18-24 lb. pumpkin growing from very long vines. The thick stems make for sturdy tops for Jack O'Lanterns.
Interestingly, mine is in the same category as yours (mid-size). Rupp Seeds writes this about mine:Jack O'Lantern 100 8x8" 10# Orange Large Round, uniform, snoothskinned, yellow thik flesh.
So, based on the Rupp description, mine is 90 days, and yours is 100. Both of ours should weigh about 10 pounds at maturity, but mine is supposed to be 10 to 12" in diameter, and yours is supposed to be 8". You said yours is already 7", right?Autumn Gold - F1 90 10-12" 10# Orange Medium AAS Winner. Turns orange early in growing season
I had too many in a small location, too. Not as many as you, but more than the soil could handle. When I looked at mine this morning, I ccould see the poor plants are just tapped. Leaves are starting to brown; there's a patch of powdery mildew in the center; and I believe I am losing another small pumpkin.imnewatthis2010 wrote: It does sound like we have similar pumpkins, just my poor decision to plant too many in this small sport caused mine to now grow as much as yours = /
It depends on who you ask. I know at least one member cuts her plants off at the soil and leaves the roots in to decompose over the winter. I pull my plants and stick them on the compost pile. Well, because this particular plant developed a slight case of powdery mildew when it became stressed, I will bag its leaves and toss them. Normally, though, I just add them into the compost.imnewatthis2010 wrote:How do you get the soil ready to sit over winter until next spring? Do you just leave teh plants in there or can you uproot them and leave them on the soil to decompose for nutrients?
Thanks! Remember, though, that I'm growing a different type pumpkin from yours. The Autumn Gold starts out yellow from the very beginning, which I think is way cool, and then turns orange as it ripens. None of these are ripe yet, and I live in daily fear I will lose another. I'm now down to only 13 pumpkins.imnewatthis2010 wrote:picked my largest one today as when I looked at the plants vine it was soggy brown and falling apart, must have been from the rain storm but only this vine was affected.
Well after I took it inside to wash up, the vine snapped off.... gah.
I just broke off half a tooth pick and stuck them back together. Fail.
Btw. your pumpkins look real nice, I wish I could get mine growing like that
Weird, it almost sounds like SVB (squash vine borer), but I'm not totally certain that they affect pumpkins (I don't see why they wouldn't, especially if there aren't any other host-plants).imnewatthis2010 wrote:The whole vine leading from the ground up to the pumpkin was just squishy and brown and falling apart, so I just pulled it from the ground to get rid of it and cut off the pumpkin.
Though the stem wasn't as soggy, it did break off while I held it. Hopefully that tooth pick holds it on and it doesn't wither too fast. I'm still not sure what exactly I want to do with it as it's not even close to halloween
[url=https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CCkQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pumpkingrowingtips.com%2Fharvesting.htm&rct=j&q=store%20harvested%20pumpkins&ei=6_iETMShKoPknAfe6IT9AQ&usg=AFQjCNHt1lR15pwhgGGP25nMSn5JquscBg&cad=rja]Harevesting and storing pumpkins[/url].imnewatthis2010 wrote:I was wondering how long these pumpkins I picked will last?
When I picked them the vines were completely used up and falling apart, the one was almost completely green, but is slowly turning orange now.. the other biggest one is completely orange.. but the stem popped off so I just glued it back on = /
About how long will these 2 last before I should carve them? I'd love to be able to keep them until halloween