Pumpkin/Squash Advice

[botherabbit]

Hello All,

I have my first allotment plot this year and have several squashes and pumpkins romping away. My plot is small and I wanted some tips on managing them.

I am currently trying to curl the long stems round themselves to make them more compact. I have also had to chop a few leaves off to avoid them shading other plants, do you think this will be detrimental? (Say 1 leaf in 8or10)

My next question is that there are quite a few pumpkings/squashes developing on each plant, do you cut some off to make sure that just one grows large, or will they all grow large? I am a bit confused, I know with plums and apples you normally sacrifice some. Is it the same? And if so how many should I leave on per plant?

The plants are really long, about 8 feet or more. Can I cut off the ends to stop them growing longer or will this kill it?

Finally I have just harvested a big green squash that looks like a watermelon. I cannot work out which plant it came from but I think from the pumpkin plant that looks like a regular jack o lantern on the label. Do these grow green and then turn orange (so I have harvested too soon?) Or is it something else?

I look forward to your help and advice!

Best wishes,

Gemma

[Paulottie]

Cut the ends off to keep plant compact.

Once they are developing you can cut off all other fruit to produce one large pumpkin if you wish. I normally go for a couple a plant myself....or choose just one plant to produce a monster and then leave the others to produce more usable pumpkins.

Yes, you are harvesting way too early and the pumpkin won't store well if it is not ripe. They colour up and the stalk goes hard and dry when it's time. They are normally ready in early October. When the first frost come bring them in.

[Lovage]

If you want to store squash or pumpkins they need to be ripe when picked but also left outside in the sun for a few days to cure. This hardens the skin and helps them keep a lot longer.
Some squash will keep past Easter in a cool dry place. Also important to keep the stalk on or invariably they rot

[queen of the cobs]

as you pinch opuit the growing tip, they might well send out side shopots - these can be pinched out too.

I find that lots of watering reaslly makes the fruits swell - clearly they are getting quite a bit naturally at the moment, but if we ever do get a hot spell, keep them wet.

[rustylady]

Don't harvest till they're ripe, then cut them with as much stalk as you can if you want to store them

[botherabbit]

Thank you all for all your helpful comments! I seem to have harvested too early :-) I will pinch out tips at weekend!

Gemma

[Two_Sheds]

jack o lantern ...Do these grow green and then turn orange (so I have harvested too soon?)

Like the others said ... way too soon.

They will turn orange, and then you need to leave them in the sun some more (cutting off leaves if they cast shade on the fruit).

Knock them ... if they sound hollow, they're ripe.

For storing over winter, cut with as long a stalk as you can (if not, rot will creep up the stalk into the fruit).

[Matt.]

Last year I waited until the leaves started to die back before I cut the squash from the vine. The longer you leave it the better but keep checking that its not rotting if laying on the ground.

Once harvested you should cure it which means leaving it in a warm place (like indoors) for a couple of weeks. You can then return it to a cooler place like a garage or shed for example.