Sep 26, 2018

New York pumpkins ripening early

New York state’s pumpkin crop is early this year due to ideal growing conditions in the state.

Consumers should act fast when picking says Steve Reiners, professor and chair of the Horticulture Section in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University and a New York state vegetable industry expert. Reiners shares advice on how to pick the perfect pumpkin that should last through the Halloween season if left uncarved:

• “Warm temperatures and abundant sun have resulted in some crops like pumpkins arriving earlier at farm stands.
• “People should not wait too long to purchase their pumpkin this year. Even though New York yields are fantastic, other states will be looking to purchase our pumpkins. In most of the Carolinas for example, much of the crop has rotted from water-soaked fields.
• “When choosing your pumpkin, look for one with a sturdy, hard stem with no soft spots on the fruit. You can buy ones that still show a little green as they will continue to ripen on your porch. A good pumpkin bought today should easily last until Halloween, if not Thanksgiving. If you plan to cut them for Jack-o-Lanterns, wait until a few days before Halloween. Once you carve them, they will only last about seven days.”