Ripe pumpkin - too harvest or not too harvest

[reetnproper]

Hi guys,

Just a quick question.

Our first pumpkin (actually dd2s) is huge, beautifully orange and, to all intents and purposes, ready for harvest. But I'm in a quandry.

Ideally, I'd like to leave it on the plant up until Halloween BUT I'm worried that to leave it on the plant may result in it starting to rot as it is ready so far in advance of the actual night (especially as it's stopped swelling but the rain keeps falling - though not constantly).

We've grown pumpkins for Halloween for the last 3 years and have never had one this large and this ready so soon before, so this particular issue has never raised it's ugly head.

So what would you do? Leave it on the plant until needed OR remove it and store it in readiness?

I'm tempted to leave it for another week but I know that dd2 (she's very nearly 4) would be heartbroken if her pumpkin rotted, even though between them, both dds have 6 more pumpkins growing on. Dd1 has had the first and biggest pumpking for each of the last 2 years and dd2 loves the fact that it is one of her pumpkins that produced the first and such a large fruit .

Thanks in advance for your replies.
Reet
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[northepaul]

If its fully ripe, surely it will keep until Halloween off vine?

[rustylady]

Pick it now and store somewhere cool and dry.

[reetnproper]

Thanks guys - as always, advice greatly appreciated .

Went to check on the pumpkin and it appears to have swollen a little more (I had to move it away from the fence because the 1 inch gap that I'd left between the pumpkin and the chicken wire, last time I moved it, had reduced to almost touching ), so I guess it's still growing despite being a lovely bright orange colour, it's just slowed down a little .

Will leave it be for now and see what happens over the next week or so - it's reassuring to know that the option to harvest is there if needs be .

Thanks again,
Reet
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