Is your pumpkin ripe yet? Tips for harvesting, storing, and more

They're the autumn classics: pumpkins ! But how do you know when it's time to bring them indoors? Harvesting your pumpkins correctly and at the right time ensures you'll enjoy this autumn champion for months to come.

It's best to harvest pumpkins before the first frost in October or November, as pumpkins don't tolerate cold well. Before that, pumpkins need plenty of sun to ripen properly.

At the end of summer, trim some of the leaves from the plant to allow as much light as possible to reach your pumpkins. When the pumpkins start to brown, place them on a few bricks. This improves air circulation and helps the fruit ripen more evenly.

There are a few signs that will let you know it's time to harvest your pumpkin:

You can recognize a ripe pumpkin primarily by its stem . When it starts to crack, resembling a bottle cork, it's time to harvest your pumpkin and let it ripen.
Another sign that it's time to harvest your pumpkin is the skin . It's getting thicker and firmer. If you can still press the skin with your thumb, it's not ripe yet.
Furthermore, your pumpkin should be fully colored and with most varieties the skin will also become slightly duller.
Does it still sound hollow when you tap it? Then it's ready for harvesting.

Want to harvest your pumpkin? Here's what to keep in mind:

Cut or trim the stem Remove the stems from your pumpkin. It's not a good idea to pull them off! Instead, use a clean knife or pruning shears.
Make sure you leave a good piece of stem on the pumpkin. Aim for about 10 cm (4 inches) as a guideline. If you don't leave a stem on your pumpkin, it will rot faster.
Handle your pumpkins with care. Even if they have a firm skin, they can still develop bruises, which can affect their storage.

Did you have to harvest your pumpkin before it was ripe because of a hard frost or your garden becoming too waterlogged? In some cases, you can let the pumpkin ripen further in a sunny, well-ventilated spot indoors, or in a greenhouse or cold frame. If the pumpkin is still too young, you can use it as you would zucchini in cooking.

Your edible pumpkin is still edible if you harvest it too early. However, it may have a less full flavor and can rot more quickly if it hasn't ripened properly on the vine. Therefore, use your harvested, unripe pumpkins promptly and keep an eye on them for mold.

After harvesting pumpkins, there's one more thing you need to do before storing them. Your pumpkin still needs to ripen. Place your harvested pumpkin in a sunny spot for two or three weeks. This will harden the skin, preventing the fruit from drying out as quickly and improving its storage. For example, store your harvest in a sunny greenhouse or on a windowsill. If you leave them outside to ripen, cover them on frosty nights and then store them somewhere cool and dry with good air circulation.

Once your pumpkin is ripe, you can store many varieties all winter long. Butternut squash doesn't keep as long. Generally, the thicker the skin, the longer the pumpkin will last.

Want to sow your own pumpkins? The best time depends on whether you're sowing indoors or outdoors. Indoors, it's best to sow your pumpkins from late April to early May. Outdoors, you can sow pumpkins in a cold frame about two to three weeks before the Ice Saints , so you can plant them out after the Ice Saints.

Tip! You'll find even more helpful sowing tips in our article on sowing pumpkins .

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