Any chance my pumpkins will last till Halloween?

[Kimberlina]

They are already quite large (think the kind you would pay $10 for at the pumpkin farm) and almost completely orange. Tomorrow I will be putting them (carefully) on newspaper per Rhonda's suggestion, but I am wondering if they will even make it to Halloween. Obviously keeping them on the vine as long as possible would seem to be the best idea, but is there anything else I can do to keep them going? There are two vines, two pumpkins (not hand-pollinated or picked off, just chance) so this is my only shot....

[forestdale]

I like the sound of those pumpkins. I have no doubt they'll last until halloween.

If the vine is still lush and green, just carefully lift the pumpkins onto newspaper or straw to proect their bottoms. If the vine is still green, the pumpkins are still growing - the vine tends to brown off and die when the pumpkins are ripe and ready to pick.

If they are ready to pick, make sure you cut them from the vine with about 3 inches of vine stem still attached. That allows them to keep much better than no stem at all. After you pick them, sit them on paper in a protected but sunny area for them to harden off. After a 4 or 5 days in the sun, they'll be ready to store in a cool dark place until you're ready to use them. Pumpkins usually last at least 6 months if you have that precious stem attached.

Also, never use the stem as a pumpkin handle. Always pick the pumpkin up from underneath.

[Kimberlina]

Thank you, Rhonda! I've never grown pumpkins before, but I knew you'd have good info for me!

Maggie and I are headed out to put them on paper in a few minutes....