How to harvest and store pumpkins for longer

A good pumpkin harvest can provide delicious meals well into winter. To help your pumpkins keep longer, harvest them at the right time, handle them gently and prepare them properly for storage.

1. Harvest before the first frost
Allow pumpkins to mature on the plant for as long as the weather permits. Look for firm skin, the colour typical of the variety and a stalk that is becoming hard and woody. Harvest before frost damages the fruit — frost-damaged pumpkins are unsuitable for long-term storage.

2. Cut carefully and keep the stalk
Use clean, sharp secateurs or a knife, leaving several centimetres of stalk attached. Carry pumpkins with both hands, supporting them from underneath. Never lift them by the stalk, as it can break off and leave an entry point for rot. Avoid dropping, bruising or scratching the fruit.

3. Clean gently before storage
Remove soil with a soft brush or clean cloth, taking care not to scratch the skin. Wash pumpkins only if they are very dirty, then allow them to dry completely, including around the stalk and underneath. Otherwise, wait until you are ready to cook them before washing.

4. Allow the skin to harden
Before long-term storage, most pumpkins and winter squash benefit from a curing period of approximately 7–10 days. Place them somewhere warm and well ventilated, protected from rain and frost. Around 27–29°C is ideal where practical. This helps the skin harden and minor surface scratches heal.

Acorn squash are an exception: warm curing can shorten their storage life.

5. Choose a suitable storage space
After curing, move the pumpkins to a dry, well-ventilated, frost-free room at approximately 10–15°C. Avoid damp cellars and places where temperatures may fall below this range.

Place the fruit in a single layer on shelves or in ventilated crates, leaving space between them. Keep pumpkins away from apples, pears and other ripening fruit, which release ethylene and can shorten their storage life.

6. Check regularly and use vulnerable fruit first
Inspect the skin, base and stalk regularly for soft spots, mould or signs of decay. Remove affected fruit immediately. Sound pumpkins with scratches or broken stalks should be used first rather than kept for long-term storage.

Depending on the variety, maturity and storage conditions, pumpkins and winter squash may keep for approximately 1–6 months. For a harvest that lasts through winter, choose varieties specifically suited to storage.

Plan next season’s harvest
Discover a selection of pumpkin and winter squash seeds in our online shop, Therapy of Flowers, and choose your favourites for next year’s garden.

Explore our shop at pumkin seeds.