In case you haven’t already, it is time to harvest your pumpkins. As August drew to a close, I cut back any leaves overshadowing the fruits on my ‘Delica’ and ‘Uchiki Kuri’ plants to allow the skins to ripen and thicken. Then, as the nights grew colder, I cut them off their vines, leaving an inch or two of stalk to encourage the ripening to continue, and sat the fruits in the sun for a few days. Allowing the skins to thicken in this way means pumpkins such as ‘Uchiki Kuri’ will keep all winter, ensuring you have a ready supply of spicy pumpkin soup and pies for months to come.
