when to pick giant pumpkins

12 years ago

I have two giant pumpkins both over 25lbs and this is the first time I've had pumpkins of this size and I don't know what to do.. My biggest is turning light green by the stem in guessing this is bad and I don't have a clue when to pick these.. My jackolantern pumpkins were really easy to know when to pick but these I can't tell.. Please any info will b helpful as I know nothing about them and have no idea what I'm doing.. Lol. Help!!

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Comments (4)

Macmex
12 years ago
The rule of thumb with any winter squash (pumpkin included) is that they are ripe when one cannot break the skin using a thumbnail. This indicator is much better than any color indicator, especially since some things, like giant pumpkins, come in various colors.

George
Tahlequah, OK
erika83smith
Original Author
12 years ago
The stem looks like this with light green all around it.. I'm afraid its got a disease of some sort.. The stem looks hard as I read in previous post if the stem is hard its ripe.. But when sticking my fingernail into the skin it will go through but I have to put quite a bit of force into it.. Before she it was much younger barely touching it would leave marks.. I'm just scared its gonna die I have two and both are the same size the other I'm sure isn't ripe yet but this one is just hard to tell.. Living in WV the bugs that eat pumpkins are everywhere and I'm scared to lose it to bugs as I already lost several jack o lanterns to bugs last month.. And I don't know a thing about how to prevent them.. I was told placing news papers under them would help but I think they hurt the jack o lanterns I did this with.. Any help would b gratefully appreciated as I have no clue what I'm doing and learning as I go.. Thanks, Erika
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erika83smith
Original Author
12 years ago
PS... I know these pumpkins are no where the giant pumpkins you see some people grow but the package said giant pumpkins is the only reason I'm calling them that and their 4 times bigger than my jack o lanterns.. I'm not sure if giant would be the correct label for these but they are close to 50-75lbs judging by weight scale I have at home.. Before was just an estimate in my previous post ..Just wanted to add that it may help with some advice on picking.. Thanks, Erika
Macmex
12 years ago
From what I can see in the picture, I'm not sure you have to worry. It looks alright to me.

Giant pumpkins will often attain the size yours have attained, and no more. This is their natural size when extra measures are not taken to increase their size. Overall, I suspect you are going to have a successful crop. Try not to move them around a whole lot. You risk breaking the stem.

George