[polly nator]

I am asking about this as I rather foolishly didnt plan out our pumpkin patches properly. We have two quite big and two very big pumpkins about 1 -2 metres from a path - and the allotment we are using is right next to the gate.   I am beginning to feel anxious about possible thefts which would be heartbreaking for my little grandson and and I considered putting some fleece over them in the hope that dishonest people wouldnt recognise pumpkin leaves. They were earlier properly shaded but I have removed the shading ready for ripening. I thought that anyone giving the plot a quick glance might not guess what was there.

Idiotically I have the Sweet Dumplings well hidden at the far end.  So    ... how much light would the fleece let through - enough for ripening?

[sunshineband]

The fleece sounds a good idea and would let a fair bit of light through, although if you have debris netting though it does let in a bit more.

Once the fruits begin to change colour you can take them home and let the skins ripen fully and 'cure' in the sunshine in the safety of your own garden 

[polly nator]

Yes, Sunshineband, its getting the balance right between leaving them on the vines as long as possible but getting them out of harm's way before its too late!

[Kristen]

When you do harvest them I've heard it is worth taking a generous "T" of vine-stem with each fruit.

[gobs]

Anything ripens under fleece in my opinion, you should not worry about this side of the matter.

You need to thin the fruit though with most. They are not able to ripen more than a couple of fruit in the best of our summers even.