Fall is finally here! I am so excited I can hardly contain myself. I love all of the fall things including harvesting pumpkins, colorful leaves, warm drinks, and cozy fires.
The fall colors are absolutely beautiful this year. The mountains surrounding our property are lit up with the glory of the season.
As I write this post I am warmed by the antique wood stove we recently purchased. The wood heat not only warms the atmosphere but also warms my heart. Talk about cozy fires!
Our Summer garden has wilted away after providing an abundance of food our family. Now, our fall garden is flourishing. One of my favorite things to do in the fall is to harvest, cure and process pumpkins for storing.
The pumpkins are beautiful this year. Our pie pumpkins are a brilliant bright orange and the Cushaw pumpkins have their characteristic green and white stripes.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to know your when pumpkin is ready to harvest
- How to properly cure your pumpkins
- How to store your pumpkins for long term
How to Harvest Pumpkins
It is important to know that pumpkins do not continue to ripen once they are picked. That is why it is crucial to know when they are ready.
Picking an unripened fruit of this sort is very disappointing especially after putting in the effort to grow them and waiting months for the prize.
When are pumpkins ready to harvest?
Dry Vines- Pumpkins are ready to harvest once the vines have died off and wilted away. They will also have ripened to the fullness of color for their variety. There are many arrays of color when it comes to pumpkins. That’s one of my favorite things about them!
Skin Firmness- To check your pumpkins (and other winter squash and gourds), you can press your thumbnail into the skin and if it doesn’t pierce it, your pumpkin is ready! If it pierces or leaves a noticeable indention, give it a little longer to ripen. Don’t worry, the skin will heal over where you checked it.
Nightly Temperatures- Once your night temperatures are regularly dipping into the 40’s, you want to get those pumpkins harvested. Over time, these lower temps can damage the fruit and nobody wants that to happen. You definitely need to harvest them before a frost as that can severely damage or ruin them.
Leaving Enough Stem- When harvesting pumpkins it is a good idea to leave a 2″-3″ portion of the stem attached. Pumpkin vines can be very tough, we like to use pruning shears like these to cut them free from their vines.
Leaving the portion of stem attached helps the pumpkins cure and last longer in storage which is a great thing. We seldom have time to harvest and process all of our pumpkins at the once (plus the flavor gets better as the pumpkins age). Being able to store the pumpkins affords us the time we need until we can get to processing them.
If you’re anything like me, you also just want the pumpkins to last a while so you can admire how pretty they are and enjoy them as a decoration until you get to enjoy them as a pie and roast those seeds as a tasty treat.
How to Cure Pumpkins
Why cure pumpkins?
Pumpkins need to be cured in order to store well and to help keep them from rotting. So, how does one go about curing a pumpkin anyways?
It is a simple process that results in the outer skin hardening enough to keep the inner contents safe and fresh for 2-3 months (or longer) in storage. This process will also heal any scars or damage on the pumpkin’s skin.
In addition, curing them will greatly improve the flavor. Fresh, uncured pumpkin will have a more starchy flavor where a cured one will be much sweeter. This is true for all winter squash varieties.
Curing Process- To cure your pumpkins, you simply set them in a sunny, dry spot for at least 2 weeks. This could be leaving them in your garden, setting them on a porch, placing them in a sunroom, or a sunny window. A pumpkin needs to cure between 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you choose a spot in or around your home, you get to enjoy looking at them and feeling all of the comforting fall feels as they cure. It is a win win situation in my opinion!
How to Store Pumpkins
How to Properly Store Cured Pumpkins
Where to Store- The ideal way to store a pumpkin would be in a cool, dry, and dark space. While a root cellar would be perfect, most of us do not have that luxury these days. A dark space like a closet, pantry, or a dry basement will also work well.
Temperature for Storing- Pumpkins store best at 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a place that stays this cool, do the best you can. They will still store for a good while in warmer temperatures, just be sure to check them often so you can catch any spoilage before it becomes a disastrous situation. Spoiled produce left unfound for a while is pretty gross!
How Long to Store- Properly cured and stored pumpkins should easily last 2-3 months and even up to 6 months with the right conditions.
That’s all there is to harvesting, curing, and storing pumpkins!
- Check for dry vines and stem
- Check skin for toughness
- Cut stem at least 2″-3″ from pumpkin top
- Place pumpkins in a warm place (80-85 degrees F) for about 10-14 day
- Store in a dark cool place (preferably 50-55 degrees F)
- Check often to prevent spoilage
- Use pumpkins within a few months but may store up to half a year
If you have pumpkins that are starting to go bad or you just have too many to use up, livestock love pumpkins and they’re very good for them. Don’t worry if you don’t own any livestock, check with your friends or even on social media for people who would love them for their animals.
If you are hard pressed for space or just don’t have anywhere that is conducive to storing pumpkins, you can go ahead a process them for canning or freezing. I’ve written in detail about how we puree’ and freeze our pumpkins and you can read that here.
When you do process your pumpkins, be it right away or after they have stored for a bit, don’t forget about those seeds! They are delicious and full of nutrition. The pumpkin seeds are good for humans and animals alike. Personally, we love to roast our pumpkins seeds.
There is not much more reminiscent of fall than sitting by the wood stove, sipping hot chocolate and eating those tasty pumpkin seeds.
I am truly a fall loving girl! It is my favorite time of the year. Well, I say that but when spring rolls around, I’m feeling pretty excited about that season too. I don’t think I’d want to have to choose a favorite between the two. But I digress…..
Back to fall. It just makes me so happy. I love the change of season and all it brings, the cooler air, the beautiful colors, the delicious food, and the fun produce and decorations. Sigh…. I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it and I hope you do too!
Ways to Use Pumpkin
We’ve talked all about how to harvest, cure, and store pumpkins. Now, what are you going to do with them once you’re ready to process them?
Pumpkins are delicious in pies, muffins, breads, cookies and many other baked goodies. Get creative and make some delicious fall treats!
FAQ:
Curing pumpkins ensures that they last as long as possible in storage. It also improves the pumpkin’s flavor.
It takes about 2 weeks for a pumpkin to cure after being harvested.
A properly cured and stored pumpkin should last in storage for 2-3 months and some can stay good for up to 6 months.
You can test a pumpkin’s ripeness by pressing your thumbnail into the skin. If it leaves an indention or breaks the skin, it is not ripe. If the skin remains firm, it is ripe for harvesting.
Leave a Reply