[Silkworm]

Hi all, can anyone advise me please if l cut off my pumpkins now will they still ripen ok, as l dont want them to big as storage will be a problem and i assume that the bigger they are the tougher they are  :blink:(or more stringy)

Thanks in advance

Silky

[DD.]

If you harvest pumpkins early, they will not store as well.

Here's a quote from an American site:

To insure a long life, pumpkins and winter squash must be harvested, cured, and stored properly. Immature fruit are poor quality and can not be successfully stored. Mature fruit that have been removed from the vine are still alive. Proper curing and storage slows the rate of respiration and prolongs the storage life of the fruit.

Pumpkins do not get tougher the older they get, quite the reverse.

[starry]

so I guess the longer they can be left the better but aim to lift them before the first frosts that makes sense no panic yet then just got to get them all home    and still got to dig up my potatoes and get them home *sigh* anyone got a fork lift ??

[sunshineband]

Starry we shall be OK donw here for a couple of weeks or so yet. No panicking please 

The potatoes will be fine under the gound even if we have a light frost -- just the slugs to worry about where they are concerned 

[Silkworm]

Thanks all much appriciated, storage might be a problem l have at least three of them 2'- 0" in diameter, so didnt really want them any bigger. Took over new lotty this year and the soil's great.

Thanks again

Silky 

[DD.]

l have at least three of them 2'- 0" in diameter

Silky 

I hope you've not entered the pumpkin contest!

[Silkworm]

Nope DD its all yours.

Silky

[DD.]

I don't think so. 

[teasmade!]

never grown pumpkins before but they have just took off  :blink: sale items bunged them in and thought hey ho lets see if they grow

low and behold 2 pumpkins, had to look up how to look after them, but one now nearly 3ft across and other just over 2 ft

conclusion if i can't have cauli and broccoli at least we'll have pumpkin pie