How do I know when my pumpkins are ready to pick?

[Miss.September]

Hi,

I have a jungle of pumpkin plant in my sideway, covering my path and burying every inch of ground under my clothesline (and I didn't know that pumpkin vines climb fences!)

I have two large pumpkins that have grown, but are in a really shady spot, so they have gotten to a good size and haven't done anything else.

Can I/Should I pick them and put them in a sunny spot to ripen? Or are they ready to go now? I'm really not sure what to do.

Here's the pic of one of them, they're basically exactly the same.

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...-image3208.jpg

[luna moth]

Awesome! Press your thumbnail into the skin. If you can just get it in, then they're perfect. Works for this whole neighbourhood, we are a giant pumpkin patch

[briggsy's girl]

it is suggested you leave them on the vine until after the first frost of autumn (it sweetens them) and then pick any time
keep them outside if you can - i know of people who keep them on the roof of their tin sheds so that they are not attacked by mildew
not sure what difference it made, but our last big crop (we got a dozen or more), we kept them outside and they kept for ages!

[Miss.September]

Fantastic! Thanks ladies

[AnyDream]

Keep them on as long as you can, if you can wait until the stalk that connects the pumpkin to the vine starts to wither, they'll be nice and orange and sweet. But if you're getting frosts you will need to bring them in.

[Miss.September]

Oh, I forgot to come back! I went out to check them again, and noticed the stalks had little holes forming and the leaves around them were looking pretty sad. So I did the thumbnail check Audax suggested and I could just get it in, so I picked them both. They're now sitting outside on the wall of my garden bed. We don't usually get frosts here until a bit later, so I'll see how these ones go. I've got two more growing that are little, but I'm feeling hopeful! Thanks for all your help

[Trillian]

it is suggested you leave them on the vine until after the first frost of autumn (it sweetens them) and then pick any time
keep them outside if you can - i know of people who keep them on the roof of their tin sheds so that they are not attacked by mildew
not sure what difference it made, but our last big crop (we got a dozen or more), we kept them outside and they kept for ages!

Yep this. They just don't taste right till they have had a frost on them