Turks Turban - When is it ripe?

[Pumpy]

I've looked all over for the answer but can't find it.
So when are they ripe? The don't tend to grow very big. Some say pick them when they are young, others say when the stem goes brown, anyone got any experience of these?

Regular pumpkins turn orange and sound hollow when knocked, but with these its not so easy.

TIA

Pumpy

[di]

I usually leave mine until they almost naturally fall off the plant...not only does it ensure it's ripe but also gives the sun time to harden up the skin for storage.

...come to think of it though... always have problems cutting into them...p'raps leaving them to harden's my mistake

[Pumpy]

Thank you. But that didn't really help much!

Think I'll cut it off in the next day or two unless someone else can offer anything?

Thanks again tho.

[Pumpy]

Well it was cut off on Saturday.
It was fairly tough to cut the skin and slighty green inside but seemed fine to eat.

Looking at some photos after I'd cut it, the bottom bit wasn't very pronounced, but as you don't eat that bit, it seemed a bit pointless to wait.

It tasted great and I will be growing these again, maybe if I had more than one I'd have waited a bit longer, like a week or two, but you live and learn.

Photo is on the blog:

My Pumpkin Growing Diary

[Flummery]

I left my TTs until the top bit had a fair bit of orange colour last year. They keep very well.

[wellie]

Now or Later... your choice?

To be perfectly honest, if a pumpkin has grown, and it looks good enough to eat, I'd eat it. But If I was being totally honest with you, I'd be telling you that I personally wasn't ready to then and there, so I'd cure it in the sun, and save it for when my purse was a bit empty in the depths of The Winter, when I might enjoy it all the more as proper 'comfort food', because I'd regard eating it in the season that nature intended me to then.