Pumpkins are a common feature of the Halloween season in the USA. During Halloween, the demands of pumpkins rise a lot. The final stage of pumpkins is its orange color. Today, we are going to discuss when pumpkins turn orange.
When do pumpkins turn orange?
Generally, pumpkins turn orange in August, September, and October. But it depends on the seeding time and the growing procedure of the pumpkins. The total growth period of pumpkins is four months. The pumpkins turn green after two months and then turn orange in the next two months.
The turning of pumpkins to orange mostly depends on the pollination process. But due to different seeding times and maintenance, the process can vary. Read on below to know more about them.
Pumpkins start turning orange:
Pumpkins are a summer vegetable. After pumpkins seeds are planted, it will take about one and a half or two months for pumpkins to reach their mature stage. It depends on the pollination process.
If the pollination process is done right and the pumpkins are watered properly under the right care, then pumpkins will by all means start turning orange in autumn(August, September, and October).
Pumpkins completely turn from green to orange:
Pumpkins take about one hundred and twenty days to properly grow. Pumpkins turn green two months after seeding. After turning green, it takes about another two months for it to completely turn orange.
Some pumpkins even after gaining maturity do not gain orange state due to growth issues.
When this happens, the pumpkins need to be picked up and harvested at home in a controlled environment where they can turn from green to orange.
Do pumpkins turn orange in the fall?
Pumpkins turn orange in the fall. In the USA, the fall season or the autumn season starts on the 22nd of September and ends on the 21st of December. Pumpkins are one of the most important decorative items of the Halloween season.
Halloween is celebrated in all the states of the USA on the 31st of October every year. So the pumpkin farmers have to make sure that pumpkins turn orange in the fall. Because if they can’t be sold the pumpkins during the Halloween season, they face a great amount of loss.
That is why they plant the Halloween seeds according to the Halloween season and the pumpkins turn orange in the latter part of August during the fall. So that they could be sold to the customers during Halloween.
What month do pumpkins turn orange?
Pumpkins turn orange during August, September, and October. Besides being a vegetable, the pumpkin is a great decorative ornament for Halloween.
So farmers all across the USA start harvesting pumpkins keeping in mind the business during the Halloween season.
The pumpkins are ready to be sold in August, September, and October. So the pumpkins seed are planted in July to coincide with Halloween. That is the reason why pumpkins turn orange during August, September, and October.
How long does it take for pumpkins to turn orange?
After the pumpkins seeds are planted, it takes the seeds approximately One and a half months or two months at tops to turn into fully grown pumpkins.
After the pumpkins gain their green state, it takes them about seven days or fourteen days at tops to turn into orange.
Not all pumpkins gain their orange state after they ripen. Some of them turn into white pumpkins. This is just another variety of pumpkins and this variety is increasing in number in the last few years.
Why are my pumpkins turning orange early?
Many pumpkins harvesters complain about their pumpkins turning orange in July. Many of the time, this happens due to the summer heat.
It fastens the growth of pumpkins. But you don’t have to worry. If your pumpkins ripen earlier than expected, you can store them in a cool place.
Pumpkins can be stored for over a year in cool places. You can use the storeroom of your house as a safe place for pumpkins. Just make sure that your storeroom has a cool temperature.
Do you have to pick pumpkins when they turn orange?
It depends on the state of your pumpkins. If the pumpkins have matured earlier than expected, then you have to pick them up from the field and store them at a cool temperature.
Additionally, you need to check the vine and stem of your pumpkins. If it is rotten or infected with insects, you immediately have to pick pumpkins and ripen them in your home in warm condition.
You have to conduct the ripening process of early picked-up pumpkins under the sun. Place the pumpkins at your home at such an angle that it faces the sun.
When pumpkins turn orange do they stop growing?
Pumpkins do not stop growing then they turn orange. Even after turning orange, pumpkins grow more and more due to the ripening process.
To check the ripening state of the pumpkin, you have to examine the shell of a pumpkin.
If the shell seems hard, then it means the pumpkin has become fully matured and will not grow any further.
But if the shell feels soft, then it means that the pumpkins have not fully matured and need more growing. In this case, the pumpkins should be left on the field for the time being until it ripens fully.
Are pumpkins ripe when they turn orange?
Most of the time, if the pumpkins are orange, they are accounted as ripen pumpkins. But this is not always the case, even after gaining its orange color, a pumpkin can be unripe inside.
To know whether a pumpkin is ripe or not, you have to test its shell. If its shell feels hard, then it means the inside has ripened properly. But if the shell feels soft and fragile, then it means it is not ready to be harvested.
In that case, you have to leave the pumpkins on the field until it ripens. So not all pumpkins are ripe when they turn orange.
Do pumpkins have to stay on the vine to turn orange? Will pumpkins turn orange if picked green?
Pumpkins do not have to necessarily stay on the vine to run orange. Pumpkins can turn orange even after they are picked in their green state. In this case, you have placed your pumpkins at home under the sun.
Pumpkins require the sun to ripen and turn completely orange. You have to make sure that all parts of pumpkins receive sunlight equally.
Otherwise, the coloring process of the pumpkin will be uneven and it leave unnecessary and ugly green parts on the orange surface.
When do pumpkins turn yellow? Do pumpkins turn yellow before they turn orange?
Instead of turning orange, pumpkins turn yellow due to insect invasions. Sometimes insects invade the root of pumpkins and deter their growth. Due to this, the pumpkins turn yellow and start drying.
But on some rare occasions, pumpkins turn yellow before they turn orange. From the green state, pumpkins sometimes take a detour and turn yellow instead of orange.
But after some days, the yellow state ripens and becomes fully orange. So if your pumpkin suddenly turns yellow, check its root to make sure it is not infected with insects.
If there is no insect, it means the pumpkins will probably turn orange very soon.
When do yellow pumpkins turn orange?
After seeding, it takes about 2 months for the pumpkins to mature and reach their light green state. Over time, the light green state becomes dark green and is expected to turn orange.
But sometimes dark green turns yellow before turning orange. The giant variety of pumpkins usually turn yellow before turning orange. It takes one or two weeks for the yellow pumpkin to turn orange.
When do white pumpkins turn white?
White pumpkins turn white in August, September, and October depending on the seeding time. White pumpkins are also known as ghost pumpkins take about three and a half to ripen.
Just like all other varieties of pumpkins, the white ones need to be taken care of and watered properly. White pumpkins are a great ornamental addition to the recent Halloween seasons.
When do pumpkins turn blue?
Blue pumpkin is another famous variety of pumpkins. The ripening process of blue pumpkins takes about a hundred days.
And just like other varieties, the blue pumpkins turn blue in the fall season. Blue pumpkins are not used as decorations for Halloween. Rather they are used in making all kinds of sweet Halloween pies and dishes.
Final Thoughts
Pumpkins are harvested in the USA keeping in mind the Halloween season. Pumpkins turn orange in August, September, and October. It depends on the seeding time, pollination, and growth process of the pumpkins. If anything deviates from the harvest plan, the growth procedure gets hampered.