So do it right

This is how the knock test works

If the summer was warm and dry, the best chances of the beginning of the harvest exist from the end of August. A ripe pumpkin presents itself with a smooth, undamaged skin. Green spots should no longer be visible on it. Also, take a look at the fruit stalk. If it is firm and lignified, this is a further indication of its readiness for harvest.

An experienced hobby gardener can use the traditional knock test to obtain final certainty. Just tap the bowl and listen. If it sounds hollow and dull, the pumpkin is ripe.

Pumpkin harvest requires a sure instinct

When confronted with a mighty pumpkin, it is not easy for anyone to touch it with kid gloves. In fact, proper harvesting requires a good dose of tact. Even the smallest damage to the shell can cause rot. You should treat the fruit stalk with particular care.

• cut off the pumpkin with a disinfected, freshly sharpened knife
• a piece of the stem remains on the fruit
• dried on blossoms leave on the shell

If the first frost is just around the corner, you can harvest the pumpkin early. Even the toughest will survive a night outdoors in sub-zero temperatures Pumpkin variety not. Carry the fruit into a warm, bright room with temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius. Here the pumpkin will be wonderful within 2 to 3 weeks to ripenwithout sacrificing quality.

Tips for proper storage

A successful harvest should always result in suitable storage. As long as a pumpkin is not cut, it can be kept for many months under the following conditions:

• the deposit is dry with temperatures around 12 degrees Celsius
• An airy basement room or a cool, frost-free garage is exemplary
• each pumpkin lies on a base made of styrofoam or wood

If it is an ornamental gourd, that applies dry as an efficient method of conservation. Since real ornamental pumpkins are not suitable for consumption anyway, you create a shelf life of months in this way.

Tips & Tricks

Impatient hobby gardeners use the following trick to speed up the final ripening process. The pumpkin is no longer poured. In addition, all the roots are set at a distance of half a meter with the spade severed.