When is the right time to harvest pumpkins?

Photo: Pixabay

If you decided to plant pumpkins for the very first time, how do you know it's time to harvest them?

Pumpkin is ready to harvest when:

• its rind is hard (you can't easily damage it with your fingernail)
• its stem got brown/dried up
• you can hear a hollow sound when you tap on the fruit
• its reached desired size and color

Photo: Pixabay

Please note, that the sizes and colors may vary depending on the pumpkin variety.

Sizes and colors.

For example:

Mature Crown Prince Squash is blue or grey-colored. Medium-sized or big.
Ripe Green-Striped Cushaw is green and white. Medium-sized.
Ready to harvest Goblin Eggs Gourds are green & yellow, or green & white. They're small.

Big Moon pumpkin is bright-orange and huge (up to 250 lbs!).
Baby Boo pumpkins are small (approx 2" tall) and white.

Crown Prince Squash

Goblin Egg Gourds, Photo: Pixabay

Please read my 140 pumpkin, squash, and gourd types (and where to buy seeds) to learn more.

Stems.

Please note:

Some pumpkin stems remain dark-green when the fruit is ripe. Examples: Wolf Pumpkin, Snack Jack, Cinnamon Girl Pumpkin.

Photos, from the top: Wolf Pumpkin (photo credit-Johnny’s Selected Seeds) & Snack Jack (photo credit-Pixabay)

Time of the month.

Usual pumpkin harvest time is late September or early October (before the first frost). You can read more about it here: How do I plant pumpkin seeds and when?

How to harvest a pumpkin?

Cut pumpkin from the vine leaving 4" (10cm) of the stem. Use a sharp knife or garden cutters. Make as clean-cut as possible, don't try to tear off the fruit from the vine.

Happy Harvesting!