This is how the knock test works
If the summer was warm and dry, the best chances of the beginning of the harvest exist from the end of August. A ripe pumpkin presents itself with a smooth, undamaged skin. Green spots should no longer be visible on it. Also, look at the stalk. If it is firm and lignified, this is a further indication of its maturity.
also read
- Cut the pumpkin correctly - this is how the finale in cultivation succeeds
- How to harvest Hokkaido pumpkin properly
- Are certain types of pumpkin poisonous?
An experienced hobby gardener can use the traditional knock test to obtain final certainty. Just tap the bowl and listen. If it sounds hollow and dull, the pumpkin is ripe.
Pumpkin harvest requires a sure instinct
When confronted with a mighty pumpkin, it is not easy for anyone to touch it with kid gloves. In fact, proper harvesting requires a good dose of tact. Even the smallest damage to the shell can cause rot. You should treat the fruit stalk with particular care.
- cut off the pumpkin with a disinfected, freshly sharpened knife
- a piece of the stem remains on the fruit
- Leave dried flowers on the bowl
If the first frost is just around the corner, you can harvest the pumpkin early. Even the strongest pumpkin variety will not survive a night outdoors in sub-zero temperatures. Carry the fruit into a warm, bright room with temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius. Here the pumpkin will ripen wonderfully within 2 to 3 weeks without losing any of its quality.
Tips for proper storage
A successful harvest should always result in suitable storage. As long as a pumpkin is not cut, it can be kept for many months under the following conditions:
- the deposit is dry with temperatures around 12 degrees Celsius
- An airy basement room or a cool, frost-free garage is exemplary
- each pumpkin lies on a base made of styrofoam or wood
If it is an ornamental gourd, drying is an efficient method of preservation. Since real decorative pumpkins are not suitable for consumption anyway, you create a shelf life of months in this way.
Tips & Tricks
Impatient hobby gardeners use the following trick to speed up the final ripening process. The pumpkin is no longer poured. In addition, all roots are cut with a spade at a distance of half a meter.
