Unripened pumpkins

1st time veg grower · « **on:** October 27, 2008, 19:03 »

I have one very large (and very heavy) unripened pumpkin (and one much smaller) that I was advised by another forum to remove from the vine which had started to die off.

I was told if I left it on a sunny windowsill (its far too big for that so it is on a kitchen work surface in the sun instead) that it would ripen up. It has been a week and doesn't really show much sign of changing colour... So how long should it take? I have soup and pumpkin bread plans, and really don't want to see this big beast go to waste!!

L.x.

DIGGER · « **Reply #1 on:** October 27, 2008, 19:21 »

Try this for a bit of help

www.pumpkinnook.com/howto/ripening

cawdor2001 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2008, 09:33 »

just hijacking this for a sec, what do you need to do to the pumpkin seeds to make them useable/edible for bread etc etc.

sorry 1st time veg grower

Cawdor

compostqueen · « **Reply #3 on:** October 28, 2008, 10:32 »

you only ripen them to make them store for longer. The ripening hardens up their shells so they can store for up to six months if you keep them cool and dry. The first part of the ripening process is in the kitchen window etc but after a week they should be able to be moved into a cool, dry shed or outbuilding

I've eaten them straight off the plot without ripening.

Or is that just me :?:

SalJ1980 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 28, 2008, 11:01 »

Quote from: "cawdor2001"

just hijacking this for a sec, what do you need to do to the pumpkin seeds to make them useable/edible for bread etc etc.

sorry 1st time veg grower

Cawdor

Hi Cawdor, I'm sure others will have their own way of doing it but I just rinse/pick off as much of the stringy gunk as I can be bothered, then spread them out on a roasting tin/tray etc and chuck em in the oven on a low heat for a while.

The only problem with doing this is they very rarely last long enough to do anything with - they are very muncheable!

If I do have some 'spare' they are great sprinkled on top of a chunky winter soup!

compostqueen · « **Reply #5 on:** October 28, 2008, 12:58 »

Some pumpkins are specially bred just for their edible seeds, and will be listed as such in the catalogues

You can eat the others but apparently some are just the job tastewise

Just as some as bred just for pie making.

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