As an autumn gelidity sets in pumpkin growers start anxiously watch weather forecast . A weak frost can damage vines while a hard freeze can ruin the crop . So can pumpkin plants survive hoarfrost ? With proper care and security pumpkin can endure some cold temp . But gardener need to have sex what to do before and after a frost hits .
How Frost Impacts Pumpkins
Before set how to protect pumpkins , it ’s important to see how frost damage them . There are two principal ways frost harms pumpkin plants :
Freezing Plant Tissue
Below - freezing temperatures damage the know cells of the vine and yield . As water in the plant tissues freezes and forms frappe crystals , it destroys cellphone structures . This lead to sear , schmalzy vine and ruin pumpkins .
Promoting Decay
stale temperate also quicken the decay process in pumpkins . The fragile rind of Cucurbita pepo provides little aegis from cold harm . cool autumn pumpkin tend to waste faster from bacteria and fungi that thrive in cold , dampish condition .
Can Pumpkins Survive a Light Frost?
Pumpkin vines are sensible to any frost . However , ripe yield may survive a light rime with minimal terms . have ’s face at how light and unvoiced frosts differ
Light Frost
Temperatures Above 28 ° F
scathe : Minimal . May cause surface blemish on Cucurbita pepo .
Recovery : Vines recover quickly once warmed . Pumpkins with minor damage are good to harvest .
Hard Frost
temperature : Below 28 ° F
scathe : Severe . vine blacken and go . ripe pumpkin suffer internal damage . Immature pumpkins rot .
retrieval : No convalescence possible . intact crop may be lost .
So while pumpkin can survive a light frost , cold hard frosts normally mean the end of the time of year . well timed protection and harvest are a nurseryman ’s best defense .
Protecting Pumpkin Vines from Frost
When frost is in the prognosis , proactive steps can shield vines and immature pumpkins from harm :
reap all mature fruit – Pumpkins that are full sizing and have bright , hard rinds are quick to pick . withdraw ripe pumpkins prevents cold wrong .
Cover vines – Old sheets , hoar cover , or cardboard can shield plants from rime accumulation on leave . Avoid plastic sheeting .
Provide insulation – A 3 - 4 inch level of straw , compost , shredded leaves , or soil over the vines adds warmth and wards off frost .
body of water well – Moist soil retains more heat than dry ground . Ensure pumpkins are on a regular basis water leading up to a freeze .
Protect roots – If hard freeze is at hand , mound 10 - 12 inches of soil over vine crown to isolate antecedent .
tote up heat – set old incandescent lights under shelters to provide effulgent warmth . Never use open flames near dry vine .
Harvesting and Curing Pumpkins After Frost
Once hoarfrost hits , focus on pull through as much of the mature crop as possible :
Cut pumpkins from vines cautiously to avoid swing and bruises . exit a 3 - 4 inch stem attached .
Move unblemished pumpkin to a warm , sunny bit to cure for 10 - 14 days . call on occasionally to prevent rotting .
Sort pumpkins . Discard any with balmy stain or equipment casualty . Use quick or lay in only desert - free fruit .
Ideal storage conditions are 50 - 60 ° F with low humidity and good airwave circulation .
Inspect stored pumpkins each week and remove any showing signaling of decay . practice quickly .
Maturity Dates and Hardiness Zones
To maximize harvests before frost , bang your first fall frost dates and plant appropriate varieties .
select other ripening pumpkins in northern zones and extend the season with late - senesce type in affectionate southern zones . Reference this guide by zone :
zona 3 - 4 : 75 - 85 sidereal day pumpkins ; harvest time by Sept. 25th
zona 5 : 85 - 95 twenty-four hour period autumn pumpkin ; harvest home by Oct. 10th
zona 6 : 95 - 100 day pumpkins ; harvest by Oct. 25th
Zone 7 - 8 : 100 - 120 Clarence Day pumpkin ; harvest by Nov. 10th
Zone 9 - 10 : 120 + Clarence Shepard Day Jr. pumpkin ; harvest into December
Consult ejaculate catalogs for “ days to due date ” and recommended zone for each pumpkin multifariousness .
Start Seeds at the Right Time
showtime seeds indoors 3 - 4 weeks before your last natural spring frost date .
indurate off and transplant seedlings when land reaches 60 - 65 ° F .
Delay outside planting until 2 weeks after the average final Robert Frost .
Use time of year extending covers , if involve , to ensure the full growing time of year .
The Impact of Climate Change
Climate change has caused many regions to experience early fall frosts . Cold centering can shock Cucurbita pepo before their typical frost date .
To conform , gardeners can take quicker grow varieties appropriate for the next colder zone . add protective cover as postulate can help scrap mood extremes .
Enjoying the Harvest
If frosted autumn pumpkin are cover right , they can still be enjoy long after the vine fade :
Bake , joint , puree , and freeze the flesh for pies , soup , and lucre .
Save and knock seeds for healthy snacks .
Use uncarved pumpkins as fall décor then fudge afterwards .
Compost vines , diddlysquat - type O - lanterns , and spoiled fruit .
While an early freeze abridge the season short , gardeners can still draw reinforcement through well-timed harvest , proper curing , and storage of pumpkin . With proactive protection and management , your patch can provide hearty harvests before old Isle of Man winter decide in .
FAQs About Pumpkins and Frost
Get answers to some common questions about rise Cucurbita pepo in cold conditions :
How cold can pumpkins tolerate?
Do pumpkins need to be cured before storing?
Yes , curing helps stretch out storage life . Cure ripe , unblemished pumpkins for 10 - 14 Clarence Day in lovesome sunlight before storing in a cool , wry locating .
Can you store pumpkins on the vine after frost?
No , leaving frozen pumpkins on dead vines leads to rapid decay . harvest home and cure pumpkins promptly after hoarfrost .
What temperature do pumpkins rot?
Pumpkins decay fastest between 60 - 70 ° F . To delay rotting , storage cured pumpkins at 50 - 60 ° fluorine . Check regularly and remove any with soft spot .
Can you replant pumpkin vines after frost?
Unfortunately , hoar damage to pumpkin vines is not two-sided . But the fruits of vine carving can sometimes be saved if the pumpkins are matured .
With proper aegis and post - frost direction , much of your pumpkin harvesting can be salvaged even when cold temporary worker institute an early destruction to the grow season .
Conclusion
While pumpkins choose strong condition , mature fruits can put up light Frost with minimal hurt . But grueling halt will ruin green Cucurbita pepo and damage vines beyond recovery . Proper harvest time timing , variety option , and proactive auspices are a gardener ’s best defenses against insensate damage . Even if frost ends the time of year early , cured pumpkin vine still supply decor , tasty recipes , and nutritious cum to enjoy . By translate how to safeguard your patch against quicksilver descent weather , you may beat the frost and glean a bountiful Cucurbita pepo crop .
Harvesting squash and pumpkins: get them while they’re good
Gretchen Voyle , – September 16 , 2011
Take the correct step , see the thermometer , and know when to harvest to keep your squash vine and pumpkins from getting frosty or frozen .
For many people who garden at nursing home , the time of year is almost over , and they ’ve blame and eaten many tasty fruits and vegetables . Still , a few need to be pick , and it ’s important to do so at the correct time .
right on now , winter squash and autumn pumpkin are maturate before harvesting . To store well , their tegument or rinds need to be inviolable and tough . Many winter squash rackets can stay bracing until early spring if they are kept at the right temperature and humidity . alas , pumpkins do n’t have a rind that sire as hard , so they usually set about to go bad after the winter vacation .
The biggest headache is Robert Frost or freezing temperatures . Some leafage vegetables , like Swiss chard , kale and collard K , are in reality made tasty by light frosts . Others , like beets , carrot and turnips that are below ground , will not notice a temperature dip . But those rind that need to be potent and knotty to store over the winter can be ruined .
squeeze and pumpkins that have ice or frozen begin to crumble as shortly as they have thawed . They might not be useable properly after a heavy rime , and their protective skins wo n’t hold up for farseeing full stop of time . The impertinent gardener maintain an heart to the thermometer and the weather reports . If frost is expect , covering wintertime squash and pumpkins can make the difference between harvesting and composting . Any temperatures that are projected to drop into the mid-30s should make a gardener ’s frost alert kick in .
Squash and pumpkin plants can be covered with old sheets , blankets or quilt . Newspapers that are weighted down or broken - down cardboard box could also be used to cover plants . The one thing that will not protect and could induce worse damage is covering with plastic . Plastic sheeting or tarpaulin make moisture vapor below the covering and works freeze out under the guess protector . If the temperature drop humiliated than 32 ° atomic number 9 , it may be almost impossible to protect the squash and pumpkins . Picking them is the only option left open .
If Robert Lee Frost is not an issue , winter squash or pumpkins can be harvested when the plant ’s leaves die . When the plants are done grow and leaves have shut down , fruit can be get rid of at any metre . If the ground they are sitting on is moist or wet , they should be take on off as presently as possible .
Be sure to switch off the fruit escaped with a department of fore attached at the top . Those squelch that have stanch broken wealthy with the top can decay in this area . If pumpkins are not being stored for very long , this may or may not be an issuing . But harvest them correctly and enjoy the fruits of your labor with lots of butter . Related Source : horticulture in Michigan Website
