Signs of a ripe pumpkin. How to understand that a pumpkin is ripe and when to remove it from the garden for storage. How to speed up pumpkin ripening

Autumn time is for many vegetable crops time to harvest. Experienced vegetable growers already know, but beginners are interested in when to remove pumpkin from the garden. If you leave a vegetable in the garden too long or, conversely, rush to pick it, you may never recognize the ripe taste of the fruit.

Homemade canned food or culinary dishes are much tastier and more aromatic if made from well-ripened pumpkin.

Pumpkin ripening time: it all depends on the variety

Each vegetable variety has its own growing season. Therefore, before planting a crop, you need to carefully study the characteristics and description of its variety. Information is often located on the seed package. There, the manufacturer also gives recommendations regarding growing techniques and caring for the plant.

There are several factors that influence the timing of pumpkin ripening.

The seed variety can be divided into 3 types: early ripening, mid-ripening and late ripening. Depending on this, the timing of harvesting is determined.

In the first group, the fruits ripen at the end of July or at the beginning of August. They have specific delicate taste and aroma. The peel is thinner, so the crop is not stored for a long time. The growing season of the group of early ripening varieties lasts from 92 to 104 days.

The second group includes mid-season pumpkin types. The fruits are larger, dense, with a hard skin. They can be stored for a long time provided they have not been frozen. The harvest is carried out before the first subzero temperature. The growing season of this group ranges from 110 to 120 days.

Late-ripening varieties are larger and can be stored for a long time, up to 6 months. The growing season of this group of varieties is about 200 days. This type of pumpkin can be harvested at the ripening stage. It perfectly picks up flavor and juiciness when picked. The characteristic color will tell you when to pick the fruits of late-ripening varieties. The light orange color is the first sign that the vegetable has gained the required strength.

For large-fruited pumpkins, which require time to develop taste and juiciness, the harvest time may be extended. From September to mid-October, the fruits are still in the beds.

You need to pick pumpkins from the garden on time. Retention of fruits on the stems, like frosts, also leads to rapid spoilage of the crop.

Signs of pumpkin ripeness: when to remove pumpkin from the garden

Most pumpkin varieties have common signs of ripeness. These include the following indicators:

  1. You can pick a pumpkin if its stalk has dried out and acquired the structure of wood. The size and thickness of the stalk depend on the variety and how large the vegetables themselves are. It is located at the junction of the fruit and the stem. As soon as the pumpkin has collected all the necessary substances and its growing season is over, the stalk begins to dry out and die, turning into a hard, almost wooden tail.
  2. A characteristic sign of ripeness is the color of the peel. It takes on, depending on the variety, a light yellow or orange tint. Mid-season varieties, which include Butternut or Wax, do not change their color. They remain green or white even when fully ripe.
  3. In most varieties, signs of ripening are primarily reflected in the density of the peel. It becomes so hard and durable that it is sometimes difficult to cut.
  4. As soon as the pumpkin ripens, it will begin to draw all the moisture and juices from the plant. The stems and leaves will gradually wither and dry out. This is a clear sign that the fruit can be picked.

It is not advisable to store the harvest with other vegetables and fruits in the same box. Some types of fruit emit ethylene. This gas causes the pumpkin to spoil quickly.

Pumpkin ripening and proper storage

Gardeners often face a problem when pumpkin does not last long. It is possible that the reason for this situation was non-compliance with the conditions and requirements for crop storage. To prevent this from happening, you should adhere to a number of rules:

  1. As soon as the fruit has been removed for storage, it is taken to dark room, where there is no sunlight. Important good ventilation in the basement or cellar. The vegetable does not tolerate well high humidity air, so the room should be dry and fresh.
  2. You can count on long-term storage only by cutting the fruits from the plant in time. Overexposed and unripe pumpkins are stored for no more than 1-2 months.
  3. An important condition is compliance temperature regime in storage. It is necessary to ensure a constant temperature in the room ranging from +7...18 °C.
  4. Place the fruits on wooden surface. The main thing is that they do not touch each other. During storage, it is necessary to periodically inspect vegetables for spoilage. A damaged copy is immediately removed from storage.
  5. If a pumpkin has been damaged by frost, you will have to use it immediately for cooking. It cannot be stored for a long time. Frozen vegetables quickly become unfit for consumption.
  6. Due to long-term storage, fruits lose their taste, but this does not apply to nutmeg varieties. These varieties do not lose pulp, but, on the contrary, gain taste and aroma over time, maintaining juiciness and sweetness.

Cleaning according to the lunar calendar or by exact calculation

Experienced gardeners carry out all work on the site according to the lunar calendar. Planting seeds for seedlings, moving seedlings into the ground and even harvesting have their favorable days.

The moon has a great, invisible influence on all life on the planet. Plants are also sensitive to its phases.

Almost all gardening is based on the lunar calendar. But every year it changes, and calculations are carried out in a new way.

At favorable conditions pumpkins are actively growing and gaining their taste. A positive environment includes not only well-executed agricultural technology, but also correctly selected days for planting seeds in the ground, in accordance with lunar calendar, and a favorable period for harvesting.

Rely solely on lunar phases not worth it, it is important to consider the climate, season and weather when picking pumpkins. Depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, all dates for harvesting fruits may be shifted.

Vegetable growers make accurate calculations based on the growing season stated by the seed manufacturer.

Experienced gardeners willingly share their secrets regarding when vegetables should be harvested; the harvest should be done before the first frost. It is better to choose a dry and sunny day for this, since it is important that the pumpkins are stored dry.

You need to collect the fruits correctly. The stalk seems to be rotated around its axis, thereby sealing its edges. The pumpkin will retain its juiciness longer if the tail is unscrewed rather than cut off.

The variety of fruits is large, and each variety has its own growing season.

22.09.2018 18 132

When to remove pumpkin so that it does not spoil during storage?

With the end of the summer season, one of our favorite vegetables is ripening, and the natural question of when to harvest pumpkin confuses many summer residents and gardeners. Indeed, not everyone can find out whether a pumpkin is ripe or not, but you shouldn’t worry if you know general signs maturation. To do everything on time and correctly, read the article further...

Pumpkin ripening time - it all depends on the variety

Regardless of where it occurs, in the Urals, Siberia, Moscow region, Leningrad region, Ukraine or Belarus, you need to remember the varietal characteristics of the vegetable. What you plant, as they say, will grow. To find out when you can pick a pumpkin, remember what varieties you planted:

  • early ripening(90-104 days) – Kolobok, Mozoleevskaya 49, Arina, Atlas F1, Barbara F1, Merry guys, Volzhskaya gray 92, Magic carriage, Kids, Dimka, Danka F1, Golden pear, Large-fruited candied fruit, Bush orange, Hazelnut F1, Medicinal, Baby, Martian, Matryoshka, Nutmeg Sugar Mace, Orange Sun F1, Nut, Bun and others;
  • mid-season(105-120 days) – Graceful, Vita, Big Max, Bambino, Cello, Golden Seed, Golden Baron, Zorka, Big Moon, Yellow Centner, Yellow from Paris, Melon, Duma, Tasty F1, Carotene F1, Children's delicacy, Pineapple F1, Barn, Honey Tale, Honey Tokyo, Nutmeg Guitar, Nutmeg Pearl, Autumn Pie;

harvest of late-ripening pumpkin after harvest - pictured

  • late ripening(125-180 days) – Marina from Chioggia, Vita, Marble, Muscat of Provence, Nutmeg Neapolitan giant, Vitamin, Wax Chenzhou F1, Gribovskaya winter, Stopudovaya, Muscat, Stofuntovaya, Frog Princess, Atlant.

Signs of pumpkin ripeness - when to remove the pumpkin from the garden

As a rule, when it comes to picking fruits, many people forget or lose the name of the varieties and wonder how to determine whether the pumpkin is ripe or not. There are signs of pumpkin ripeness, with which you can easily determine whether it is time to harvest the pumpkin or not:

  • a ripe pumpkin has a woody, dried stalk that is hard to the touch;
  • The leaf blades of the plant are faded, in some places painted yellow, some parts have already dried out. If the pumpkin vines are still green and juicy, the leaves have just begun to fade, it means that the pumpkin is not yet completely ripe, you need to wait or remove it for ripening;
  • ripe fruits pumpkins, ready for harvest, with a bright, rich color characteristic of the variety being grown. Do not forget, the color of the fruit can be not only bright orange, but also green, grayish, depending on the varietal qualities;
  • The peel of the fruit has acquired a denser and harder structure.

pumpkin removed from the garden - in the photo

When to remove pumpkins from the garden? In the northern regions of the country, in the Urals and Siberia, the Moscow region, and the Leningrad region, pumpkin harvesting begins in the second half of August and is completely harvested before the 15th of September. Can't be specific exact dates pumpkin harvesting, since too many factors influence ripening - these are meteorological conditions throughout the growing season, weather at the time of harvest, characteristic varietal characteristics, growing conditions, care, etc.

If the pumpkin is not ripe, the fruits inside will have greenish flesh, the vines will remain juicy, and the leaves will be green. But not always weather allow you to leave a pumpkin in the garden. Unexpected frosts can spoil the fruits, which will not be stored in the future, so pumpkins are picked unripe and removed for further ripening.

Pumpkin ripening and proper storage

First of all, it is worth noting that pumpkin harvesting is carried out carefully, trying not to damage the fruits. It is very important to leave the stalk 3-4 cm long so that various infections do not get inside, rot does not develop, etc. Pumpkin with a stalk has a much better shelf life and a longer shelf life.

ripening pumpkin - pictured

What to do with unripe pumpkin? Many summer residents and gardeners harvest such fruits for ripening at home. Unripe pumpkin can ripen at home for another 1.5-2 months, gaining sweetness as the amount of sugars, vitamins and keratin continues to increase. Unripe fruits can be stored in an apartment under the bed, where they will ripen perfectly.

General rules for storing pumpkins imply maintaining a temperature within +5 ° ... + 15 ° C and a humidity of no more than 65%, and many are stored in basements, cellars, along with other vegetables. In practice, in most cases it is not possible to save the harvest in the basement; the pumpkin begins to rot. As a rule, there is dampness in the basement, which pumpkins really don’t like.

Summer residents and gardeners with experience advise storing pumpkin under the bed, where it is dark and warm. There the fruits are perfectly stored until spring, and sometimes until the next season. If you have a private house, there is a warm, heated basement room, where you can also place vegetables for storage. Delicious pumpkin recipes for the winter will be useful to you, because the vegetable is not only dietary, but also tasty if you know how to prepare it correctly.

Pumpkin is a vegetable that grows on any plot of land. This fruit was grown in ancient times, and now modern gardeners do not forget about it. beneficial properties. Pumpkins contain a lot of vitamins that any person needs. “How to eat pumpkin?” - you ask. Porridges, juices and even pies are made from it. It has a sweet but specific taste, which is why not everyone loves it so much.

The pumpkin can lie on the field until frost

The entire crop must be harvested in the fall, before the first frost. This vegetable is no exception, but there are also times when to collect it. Harvesting a pumpkin very often depends on its variety. Therefore, it is advisable to consider the types of this product separately.

When it ripens

Early ripening varieties. The name "early ripening" pumpkins indicates that they ripen quickly. The period of their full ripening: from 92 to 104 days. Therefore, it is recommended to remove such vegetable plants around the end of August. Receiving a ready-made vegetable in August is chic and joyful, but there are also disadvantages. Such varieties are stored for no longer than a month, so they must be processed immediately or rolled up when they have just been removed.

Mid-season varieties. These types include:

  • Winter sweet;
  • Blue Hubbard;
  • Volga gray;
  • Medical;
  • Russian.

These varieties, unlike the previous ones, ripen in 120 days and can be stored, which gives them many advantages. This type of pumpkin is harvested in September, when almost the entire harvest is already in your places for storing winter supplies.

Late varieties. Among them it is necessary to distinguish:

  • Pearl;
  • Testi Delipe;
  • Vitamin;
  • Butternut.

These pumpkins take about two hundred days to ripen. It is recommended to collect fruits before the onset of serious frosts, when the winter weather has already settled. Sometimes there are cases when the time to cut the pumpkin has come, but it is not quite ripe yet. In such cases, it is still collected and placed in a dark, cool place. There it will ripen in a month. Then these fruits can be processed, rolled or frozen.

Russian is a mid-season pumpkin variety

It is very important to ensure that these vegetables are not damaged, otherwise they will spoil and will not be suitable for use.

Professional summer residents note that in the southern regions pumpkins have not been harvested for quite some time. It is kept in the beds until the tops are almost completely dry.

This is explained by the fact that frosts and cold weather in such places come late, so the pumpkin is not in danger of freezing and spoiling.

So how do you know whether a vegetable is ripe or not, can you remove it from the ridge, or should you wait a little?

To resolve this issue, it is necessary to highlight several signs of a ripe pumpkin product.

Signs of a ripe pumpkin:

  • The pumpkin legs will be as dry, tough and firm as possible. Naturally, they will not be green. The green stalk is one of the signs that the pumpkin is still ripening, and under no circumstances should it be cut off.
  • The leaves are dry, yellow and pale.
  • This ripe vegetable has a bright color.
  • Its skin is very hard and tough.

A dried pumpkin tail signals its ripeness.

How to properly cut and store a pumpkin

When cutting a plant, it is better to leave four centimeters of the stalk. Do this extremely carefully, because any damage, especially a cut in the peel, will have a bad effect on the storage of this product.

Let's take a step-by-step look at how to collect a gourd (that's what the common people call a pumpkin):

  • The first thing an experienced gardener does is walk through all the beds and inspect the entire crop for ripening. Because the whole pumpkin is removed at once, rather than leaving a few unripe ones in the beds.
  • After this you need to stock up on good sharp knife or garden shears. Professionals in this matter advise using scissors, because it is much more convenient. Using them, it is difficult to cause significant damage to the peel.
  • Next, prepare the storage area for the crop. Having chosen a suitable place, you can put old blankets or straw on the floor, so it will not deteriorate or rot.
  • Then carefully cut off all the fruits and transfer them to a storage location. When cutting this plant, it is important to remember to leave four centimeters of the stalk.

A mature pumpkin can be used immediately for food after harvesting, but many people leave the vegetable for storage. Moreover, quite a large number of fruits come out. Therefore, no family can eat a large amount of gourd.

It is often stored in a cool place, underground or in a closet, attic, garage, shed or closet.

In addition to coolness, also take into account the air humidity of the given room during storage. Because high humidity air reduces the shelf life of pumpkin fruit by as much as three months. And this is quite a significant time.

Thus, we found out that pumpkins can be harvested from the end of August until October, depending on the variety and climate. We also demonstrated how to correctly and competently remove pumpkins from the beds.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW TO CORRECTLY DETERMINE THE MATURITY OF A PUMPKIN IN THE BED Save so you don’t lose it! How to properly care for a pumpkin before harvesting? Regardless of the size of the fruit and the timing of harvesting, there are rules that will help protect the fruit in the garden from rotting and pests. Lying constantly on its side, in contact with the ground, in wet weather a huge berry can rot and become unusable. Those who try to process a pumpkin with a rotten side are doing it wrong. Before the fruit receives visible damage, changes have already occurred in the core, and it should not be eaten. The pumpkin should be placed on a hillock or a specially constructed mound, a wooden or plywood board should be placed down, and covered with film on top during autumn rains. In the last month, when the pumpkin gains sweetness, watering should be stopped. The length of the roots, which go to a depth of up to three meters, is enough to provide required quantity water. When can you pick a pumpkin? You can get a fully ripened pumpkin from the field only in hot regions, when the fruits naturally ripen in the field for more than 4 months. But the good thing about pumpkin is that in addition to its long shelf life of several months, it still continues to ripen. Therefore, you can find out whether the pumpkin is ripe and how long it can lie on the ridge by knowing the main signs that the vegetable is ready for harvesting: The leaves of the bush have withered, changed their color to yellow, and dried out. If before this there were no signs of anthracosis disease, then the natural death of healthy foliage serves as a sure sign of the end of the growing season. The stalk becomes stiff, upper layer corked, it becomes woody simultaneously with the stem supplying food. It is no longer possible to rearrange the pumpkin in any other way without compromising the integrity of the liner. The color of the pumpkin, whatever it is, from gray to yellow, becomes brighter, the pattern is more noticeable. There should be no traces left on the crust from scratching it with a fingernail. The cover hardens and does not spring back when pressed with fingers. A ripe pumpkin responds to cotton with a ringing sound. A ripe pumpkin becomes covered with a matte coating, the stalk is easily separated. When harvesting a pumpkin, you need to treat it with care, trying not to scratch it. If trouble occurs, seal the damaged area with a bactericidal plaster or do not leave the damaged vegetable for storage. Picked pumpkin can ripen for about a month in a dark, cool, dry place. You can store the fruit in such conditions for a long time, allowing you to use a fresh, healthy product during the winter. It is very important to use zoned varieties in different regions different periods achieving biological ripeness. But even the earliest ripening varieties ripen in about 4 months. Therefore, in regions with a temperate climate, the seedling method of cultivation is used. A new method in the northern regions is to use mini-greenhouses with biological heating, leaving root system constantly warm, and lashes in the short summer, letting them out into the fresh air. Early ripening varieties are harvested at the end of August and grown as seedlings. These varieties include the common Gribovskaya bush, Vesnushka, Golosemyannaya. They have a thin crust and can be stored for up to a month. Medium-ripening pumpkin varieties - Ulybka, Lechebnaya, Rossiyanka - will ripen in 4 months. Harvest in September, but before the first frost. Frozen fruits are not suitable for storage. Varieties of these pumpkins last up to two months after ripeness. The most valuable fruits are late-ripening varieties grown under the southern sun. These include Vitamin, Muscat, Pearl. These pumpkins have a thick, hard rind and sweet flesh that is added raw to salads. Late varieties can be stored in a cool room for up to six months. They are harvested late, but even in the south ripeness occurs in a month or two. The ripening times indicated on the seed packet are based on ideal conditions. The weather makes its own adjustments. Therefore, you need to navigate when to harvest a pumpkin based on the weather, the condition of the plant and the biological maturation of the variety. When storing any pumpkin, it is important that the integrity of the fit of the tail to the womb is not compromised. If there is a gap in this place, an infection will set in and the fruit will rot. Rules for harvesting Harvesting is carried out in dry weather, after the lashes have dried well from the morning moisture. If bad weather strikes, you will have to harvest the crop in wet weather; such fruits need to be dried well. At the same time, separate damaged specimens. Dry warm weather Root crops cut from the main stem can still be kept in a melon field, under the rays of the sun. Everything that is said concerns pumpkin as a food product. There are many other varieties in cultivation. Loofah pumpkin provides us with excellent washcloths and serves as a filler in the furniture industry. This type of pumpkin is left to grow after frost until the skin becomes thin. Decorative pumpkins are used for crafts in folk art. Therefore, light freezing does not affect the condition of the rind, and the pulp from these fruits is almost never used. Therefore, decorative fruits lie in the garden or hang longer than food varieties. There are certain deadlines that gardeners focus on when harvesting. For the southern regions, Crimea, pumpkin harvesting time is the end of September and beginning of October with possible ripening late varieties in room. These are mainly nutmeg pumpkins, very tasty.


Autumn is the time to sum up the results of spring-summer work and harvest. Pumpkin, as an unpretentious and fairly cold-resistant crop, is one of the last to be sent for storage. But when is the best time to do this? Since gardeners today have at their disposal more than a dozen pumpkin varieties that have various characteristics and ripening time, the time of harvesting vegetables largely depends on their early ripening, as well as on the weather and climatic characteristics of the region. When to remove the most from the garden early varieties, and how much longer do late-ripening fruits remain in the garden?

Ripening times for different types of pumpkin

Among the varieties common in Russian garden beds, hard-bark pumpkins are distinguished by their early ripeness. Despite the fact that their collection begins 90–120 days after germination, the pulp of such varieties is not too rich in carotene, sugars and is quite fibrous. But the seeds of hard-bark pumpkins, covered with a thin peel or without it at all, are the most delicious and healthy.

I begin to harvest such pumpkins in the second half of August, and in September the hard-barked fruits, even in a cold summer, should be completely harvested. This type of fruit is not stored for long; if you keep the pumpkin and cut it after 5–6 months, you will find sprouted seeds and loose pulp that has lost quality under the bark.


The moment when it is time to remove the pumpkin from the garden can be determined by the woodiness of the petiole, compaction, hardening of the bark and change in its color.

Mid-season varieties, which include most large-fruited pumpkins, which require time to gain weight and size, ripen in 110–130 days. Such fruits are tasty, their pulp is saturated, rich in microelements and perfectly accumulates sugar. In addition, these are leaders in keeping quality, but long-term storage can be ensured only by cutting the pumpkin from the vine in time.

If the bark has not yet acquired proper hardness or has been damaged by frost, the pumpkin will have to be processed.

Therefore, it is so important to remove pumpkins from the garden before the first cold weather, which in the Moscow region or the Urals can begin as early as mid-September. If necessary, the fruits are left to ripen in a warm, dry room before being stored for 14–30 days.

The sweetest, most aromatic pumpkins ripen later than everyone else, which include muscat varieties. It takes 130 to 150 days for the fruits to reach full maturity, therefore, like the large-fruited variety, these pumpkins are harvested before the frost season.

Only in the south of the country, starting from Rostov region and before the Crimea, when pumpkins of late-ripening varieties are harvested, they ripen on the vine. In other regions they have to ripen for 1 to 2 months. At the same time, ripe fruits remain tasty and healthy for no longer than 4–5 months, so it is better to eat them without delay.

How do you know that the pumpkin is ripe, will be tasty and will survive several winter months without any problems?


Signs of pumpkin ripeness

Regardless of the type and early maturity of the pumpkin, its fruits have general signs of ripening:

  • First of all, the pumpkin stalk becomes hard, loses its juiciness and takes on the appearance of wood or cork.
  • Pumpkin bark changes color in most varieties and varieties. Shades of green are being replaced by yellow and orange tones, the drawing becomes clear.
  • The bark thickens and is difficult to damage with a fingernail.
  • The vines and foliage of the plant wither, turn yellow and die.

If pumpkins are removed from the garden characteristic features ripening, the fruits are well stored, their pulp does not lose moisture and taste for a long time.

It is better to pre-ripen pumpkins that are not fully ripe until the fruit is completely protected from exposure external environment. But it is better not to store ovaries with unformed bark, but to immediately process them into juice, home-canned food or culinary dishes.

It is important to remember that not all varieties change color by autumn. A similar exception can be considered wax pumpkin, varieties with gray and white bark. The shade of butternut pumpkins changes slightly.

When a pumpkin is put away for storage, these signs can be considered a selection criterion and a guarantee that the fruits will not dry out or rot.

How and when to remove pumpkin from the garden?

The most delicious and healthy pulp comes from pumpkins that are fully ripened in the garden and until last day absorbing sunlight and nutrients from the soil. But climatic and weather conditions do not always allow this to be achieved. Therefore, when pumpkin is already harvested in the Urals, in the Stavropol region the crop can remain in the beds for at least a month.

The further north you go, the more often gardeners have to plant early-ripening varieties on their own and, to determine the harvest time, use not the plant’s prompts, but the forecast of meteorologists. For example, in middle lane pumpkins are removed from the vines in mid-September, but in the southern regions they can remain in the field until the vines are completely dry.

Whatever time the harvest takes place, it is important that the weather on the day the pumpkins are harvested is dry and warm enough. If fruits lying on the ground are seriously frozen, despite the dense bark, the vegetable suffers and may rot during storage.

The fruits are collected as carefully as possible, treating each pumpkin with care. It is important not only to avoid cutting the bark, but also to prevent the pumpkins from falling over.

After all, even through microscopic cracks in the bark, microorganisms and bacteria easily penetrate, leading to the development of mold and rot inside the fruit. In addition, when struck, the structure of the pulp changes and the juice begins to leak, which also leads to rapid spoilage of the crop.

When pumpkins are removed from the beds, it is better not to try to pick them or unscrew them from the vine, but to cut them with a sharp knife, leaving a stalk 5 to 10 cm long.

If the pumpkin is without a “tail”, it is deprived of the natural protection of the pulp in the attachment zone, which will inevitably be taken advantage of by putrefactive bacteria and fungi. Therefore, when carrying and loading pumpkins, it is better not to grasp the handle, no matter how convenient and strong it may look. This rule is especially relevant when growing full-bodied large-fruited pumpkins, succulent varieties intended for juice and sweet dessert varieties. Their deterioration will be the fastest.

After cutting from the vine, the pumpkins are dried, carefully removing any remaining soil and dry vegetation on the bark. Then the fruits for a period of 10 to 30 days are placed in existing indoor storage, where the temperature reaches 27–29 °C. With humidity up to 85% in such conditions, pumpkins actively ripen, and their peel hardens.

Having learned that the pumpkins are ripe and ready for long-term storage, clean, whole fruits are selected, without signs of mechanical damage or signs of disease.

When selecting table pumpkins for the winter, their size is also taken into account. It is believed that pumpkins at least 12–15 cm in diameter can withstand many months in the basement.

When storing pumpkins, choose a cool, dry room with a temperature of 10–13 °C and constant ventilation. In storage, the fruits are carefully laid out on racks or pallets, avoiding crowding and contact of the pumpkin with wet surfaces. It's best if:

  • the crop is placed in one layer above the ground level at least 10–15 cm;
  • pumpkins do not touch or come into contact with other vegetables and fruits;
  • the storage is protected from rodents;
  • There is no condensation or fungal infection in the room.

It is especially important not to place the pumpkin in close proximity to apples, pears, and quinces. These fruits emit ethylene, which accelerates the ripening of the fruit and reduces the shelf life of the pumpkin. In the winter months, until the harvest is used for food, it is periodically reviewed, discarding damaged or softened fruits.

How to store pumpkin - video


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