If they are mostly orange, they will finish ripening indoors, but may not have peak sweetness. I haven't left them for a frost, but I do believe they should be fine in a light frost.

"Stems are still green." Then unless you absolutely must harvest them they will be better if you wait. If you have a chance to tour a commercial grower's pumpkin field you will often see a field of brown, dead, frost killed vines with the ripening pumpkins still attached to the vines to continue ripening. It's a pretty picture - a flat golden brown field covered with various shades of bright orange balls. :-)

Dave

So we'll definitely keep most of them on the vine longer.

Any thoughts on whether the taste will be good enough to eat one now? (I've been thinking about roasted pumpkin ever since they started turning orange).

Not sure if the photo helps

As weirdtrev posted, they should be cured first for optimal flavor. Though if you have plenty and are itching to try one, they will certainly be edible...

Yeah edible but sure not full quality. As with much in gardening, patience is a virtue. :-)

Dave

It is difficult to wait. Here's this year's crop of Crown Prince (Maxima) in my garden. I'm itching to bring them in but there are still some outlying sections of somewhat green vines. And if the weather is gonna be in the 70's and the sun is gonna shine, I can't think of a better place for them.

That's orange enough to ripe off the vine. Let it ripen on the vine or let it ripen indoors. Same amount of time AFAIK. I'd cut before frost.

So you've all convinced me to leave (almost all of) them on the vine until we see the deer circling or there's a hard frost predicted. (Our current forecast has lows in the mid 30's for several nights and we'll hope it doesn't dip much lower.)

Any other thoughts on whether the taste would be good enough to justify the effort in cutting up one?

<Any other thoughts on whether the taste would be good enough to justify the effort in cutting up one?>

Not sure what else can be said. It is a personal taste thing. Calling something 'edible' only means it won't hurt you, that it can be eaten if necessary not that it should be eaten at that stage.

Most people prefer the flavor of ripe fruit over the flavor of green fruit regardless of the fruit in question. That's why we look for the ripe ones in the grocery store, right? And as several have said, the longer you can wait for them to ripen the better the quality.

Greener fruit has a sharp bite, an acidic bite you don't find in ripe fruit. Greener, unripened fruit are notably less sweet and harder textured. They have a very different mouth feel as well. Whether that will appeal to you or not only you can know. So if you are desperate to eat one, go for it. They are your pumpkins. :-)

Dave

Learn patience. On the vine or off the vine, the time you should wait will be the same. Is it edible right now? Sure. Would I eat it? Not until I was sure it wasn't going to ripen anymore. You're growing pumpkins for pies--let the flavor develop fully. Grow smaller or ones that ripen quicker next year.