pumpkin problem

[darkcrystal]

one of my pumpkins is going orange but i have just noticed that the main stem that it is attached too is dead.......will the pumpkin be ok????????

[danmon_81]

yep thats what they do....you can still leave it attached and pick the pumpkin when you need it! Pumpkin will be fine.

[darkcrystal]

will the pumpkin be ok till halloween????

[Two_Sheds]

will the pumpkin be ok till halloween????

that depends on many factors ... weather being the most important.
Best you can do is raise it off the ground to prevent rotting/slug damage (lie it on a brick or slab or something)

[darkcrystal]

if i had too take it off the stem how would i keep it till halloween? or is that not possible?????

[rustylady]

Do as TwoSheds said, and raise it a bit off the ground to let the sun and air get to it. Once it is completely orange and the skin feels hard you can cut it with as much stalk as possible and bring it home. Keep it somewhere cool and airy.

[darkcrystal]

ok will do then..................i will find a brick i keep turning it too

[Matt.]

It might not be dead. They can look fretty frazzled but are still feeding the fruit. Just leave it and it should be fine. I agree with raising it to a dry base if you can. Often sand is a good medium.

[bexjking]

pumpkin problems

the leaves n my plants seem to be dying they were all very dark green and now are mostly yellow is this normal? the pumpkins themselves are going orange but i dont want them to die!

[bexjking]

please help!? xx

[Two_Sheds]

If the pumpkins are orange, it sounds like they're ripe, the plant's done its job and is dying off naturally.

[bexjking]

they arent completely orange they are just turning now

[darkcrystal]

i looked at my pumpkin and its hanging on by a thread, its still got some green on it, im assuming it will still ripen,

[Matt.]

If you think thats it for the season cut it off and keep it until Halloween. There is no point leaving it on the plot if its not getting any bigger. Its best to keep some of the stem either side rather than take it off right at the stump. If you can keep it in a warm and dry environment - inside house, shed, garage etc - it will help cure the skin. This means it will dry and harden to help storage. After a week or two it will be done so if it is inside the house you can store it in the garage or shed. You should have no issues storing in the dry for many months.

[Matt.]

It sounds fine. Not all pumpkins turn bright oranage like the supermarket ones. They can be any range of colours from green through yellow to orange. As TS says its probably in the last stages of growth and ripening.