|
Pumpkins are ready to harvest after three to four months. It can be late in the growing season, but before the first hard frost. Shells should be hard, and the color should be even throughout. Cut the stems with shears, leaving about 2 inches attached, and gently lift the fruit. Pumpkins can be stored for some time, but don’t bring them into a cool area immediately. Instead, leave them outside in the sunshine, or indoors in a warm and well-ventilated place for a week or two. Then store them at a cooler temperature, around 50 degrees F.
Gourds can linger for some time in the garden, and some growers in milder climates will leave them in place into winter. They’re ready to be picked when the tendrils next to their stems are dead and the stems have turned brown. Cut gourds from the vines with a sharp knife or scissors, leaving 2 to 4 inches of stem attached. Handle gourds carefully, as they can bruise easily. Clean with soap and water, and dry carefully.
Place ornamental gourds in a dark and well-ventilated spot—making sure they don’t touch—for about a week until the surface is dry, the skin hardens, and the color is set. They can be set on trays or hung to dry. Once the surface is dry, keep the gourds in a dark, warm area with good air circulation for at least four weeks.
Also, monitor gourds. If mold appears on the outside, wipe it off; if they start to decay or shrivel, or if soft spots appear, discard them. If laid flat, turn them once a week. The gourd is dry when it feels lighter than when harvested and the seeds rattle inside.
Hard-shell gourds are dried the same way, but the process takes many more weeks, if not several months.
Once the gourds are dry, clean them carefully with soapy water. If you plan on painting hard-shell gourds, you can use very fine sandpaper or steel wool to clean them, but you may leave scratches. If not painting, you can simply coat them with paste wax.More about pumpkins & gourds:
|
