October is such a wonderful time. Fall is in the air, and it’s also time for pumpkins. Pumpkins is a fun crop to watch in the vegetable garden. They make delicious desserts and great fall decorations and can be painted or carved into jack-o’-lanterns. But to make the best use of them, you need to harvest and store them properly. Pumpkins in South Georgia can be a challenge to produce due to whitefly, and disease pressure. If you need production information, please contact your local county Extension agent.
Pick pumpkins when they develop a deep, uniform, orange color and, like any fall squash, a hard rind. The vines usually die back at this time.
Please avoid harvesting when the fruit is wet, as this will encourage decay. Pick a sunny, dry day. When harvesting pumpkins, handle them carefully to avoid cuts and bruises. Halloween pumpkins are most attractive when a stem or “handle” is carefully allowed to remain. It is advisable to leave the stems. Pumpkins with stems are less likely to rot. Please cut the fruit from the vine with sharp pruning shears, leaving a 4- to 5-inch “handle.”
When I take my family to go pick out the perfect pumpkin, I see children carrying them by the stems. Stems are not handles. When you pick up your pumpkin, please do so from the bottom. The stem may not be able to support the weight of the fruit and may break off, leaving it vulnerable to microorganisms that cause rot.
After picking pumpkins, wash or wipe them with warm, soapy water and disinfect with a solution of 1 1/2 teaspoons of bleach and one gallon of water, then rinse and dry. The bleach kills bacteria and fungi and reduces rotting. Store pumpkins in a room or garage above 50 degrees or use them for ornamentation. This method also works for gourds, pie pumpkins, and miniature pumpkins. Small decorative gourds need to be cured for two or three weeks by spreading them on a sheet of newspaper in a warm room with good air circulation and turning once a day. After the gourds cure, polish them with paste wax if desired. Large, hard-shell gourds take several months to dry and may become covered with mold. The mold doesn’t injure the shell and will leave interesting patterns on the shell when it’s wiped off. Wiping shells with the bleach solution will prevent mold from forming. Depending on the variety, pumpkins, miniature pumpkins, and gourds will last up to six months if preserved properly. Hard shell gourds may last several years. Carved pumpkins will rot and shrivel after about a week, then you can discard them in the compost pile.
If you have any questions, please contact your local county Extension agent.
