Pumpkin snapped off stem

[1st time veg grower]

So, today I went to my veg patch to 'turn' my pumpkin as I had read to do this on a website to stop it getting a pale base...and it snapped right off the stem.

It is almost two thirds orange but near the base it is still green. Will it ripen completely? What can I do with it to help? Unfortunately I don't have a greenhouse.

I also have the most massive pumpkin, appromimately triple the size of this one which is slightly larger than a basketball, it still appears to be growing but is showing no signs of going orange. I am not wanting the pumkins for Hallowean, purely to eat but should I be worried that it isn't ripening yet?

Have had lots of problems with losing my baby butternuts and pumpkins to rotting from the flower which I have now discovered can be stopped by removing the flower before it has a chance to go slimy. However I discovered this quite late on and so only have a few small ones of each growing now - this makes my two larger pumpkins more important!

Hope you can help,
Laura.x

[godfreyrob]

You can store/ripen them anywhere warm and dry - last year I just put mine on a shelf in the conservatory and they turned orange all over after a few weeks. They kept like this until March when I finally cooked them - they were fine.
They will turn to mush if they get frosted so lift them now if you are worried about this (they are not going to grow any bigger now unless you are in the southern most counties).

[1st time veg grower]

Ah thanks for this. That's a shame - I was hoping some of the smaller pumpkins and butternuts would continue growing as they really are quite tiny. I read somewhere else that you can leave the pumpkins on the vine and protect them from frost with polythene - does that work?

L.x.

[godfreyrob]

Ah thanks for this. That's a shame - I was hoping some of the smaller pumpkins and butternuts would continue growing as they really are quite tiny. I read somewhere else that you can leave the pumpkins on the vine and protect them from frost with polythene - does that work?

L.x.

Its possible if the weather warms up that you might get some extra growth - but the days are shortening and the odds are against it i'm afraid. I did see that the weather forecast was for an approaching high later in the week but you would need several weeks of milder weather (but thats hope over experience)

[1st time veg grower]

Boo! That's really annoying. I don't suppose you can make anything out of small unripened butternuts and pumpkins?!

What do I need to do next year to stop this happening again? Or is it wet weather related? I followed the instructions on the seed packet - is it worth planting them a bit earlier than suggested?

L.x.

[hedgewitch]

So, today I went to my veg patch to 'turn' my pumpkin as I had read to do this on a website to stop it getting a pale base...and it snapped right off the stem.

This happened to me too but I have been assured it will ripen regardless - just put it in the sunniest spot you have and leave it for a month or so.
Seems a lot of the ishers have had a problem with small Butternuts - wonder what that's about then, weather related for sure but is it too much rain, not enough etc etc??

[Clara]

Seems a lot of the ishers have had a problem with small Butternuts...

*snigger snigger* Yes I am 13 (well in my head clearly)

[hedgewitch]

*fnarr fnarr*

[rockchick]

Many years ago oh did some site work next to a whole field of pumpkins and one 'accidently' snapped oof. He left it in a nice sunny spot in the garden on a table to ripen. Several months laters, well in to the new year, he remembered and it had gone completely black and welded itself to the table!

[1st time veg grower]

Glad I'm not the only one with small butternuts! lol

Good news is the pumpkin that's been on my window sill since the weekend, after today's day of full sunshine is already nearly all orange! Yay!

Been told I have to still leave it for a while to 'cure' before I try to eat it - is that right?

Still don't know what to do with my massive green pumpkin - whether to chop it off and bring it in, or leave it for as long as poss on the vine. The little pumpkins and butternuts do appear to still be growing so I don't want to chop them off until the last possible moment.

Thanks for the help - very chuffed with my pumpkin (so far)!

L.x.