When the pumpkin season approaches, hobby gardeners can hardly wait for the harvest of the impressive fruits. The Hokkaido pumpkin is one of the oldest cultivated plants and at the same time the most popular squash. Both in cultivation and when harvesting, they are very rewarding and uncomplicated plants. With their slightly nutty, chestnut-like taste and the juicy, low-fiber pulp, delicious soups, desserts and vegetable variants are a success. The pumpkin seeds, dried or roasted, give many dishes the necessary bite.
Best harvest time
Best harvest time for the Hokkaido pumpkin
As early as August, the plump orange-colored fruits flash through the lush green foliage. Nevertheless, the harvest time usually does not begin until September and extends into October. If there is no frost, harvesting can continue into November. Exactly when you can harvest depends on the time of sowing and the prevailing weather conditions. Depending on the weather, these pumpkins can sometimes be ready for harvest as early as August. A pumpkin plant always produces several fruits that ripen differently.
The Hokkaido pumpkins, which belong to the winter pumpkins, should always be harvested when fully ripe. They can only be harvested immature if it is very wet and cold around the harvest period. In a bright, dry and warm location, with temperatures around 20 degrees, the fruits will ripen within the next 2-3 weeks.
However, the taste and aroma of these fruits are not as pronounced. Frequent or prolonged rainfall some time before harvest can quickly cause the fruit on the ground to rot and spoil. To prevent this, it helps to bed them on wooden boards or a thick layer of straw.
Tip: If you pay attention to good and less good plant neighbors with these plants, this can definitely be beneficial for the yield. So you should not plant the Hokkaido pumpkin together with other pumpkin varieties, whereas an immediate vicinity to corn or runner beans is recommended.
harvest
Recognize ripe fruit
There are clear signs that a Hokkaido squash is fully mature. The best known is the so-called knock test. If you tap the skin lightly with your finger bones and you hear a dull, hollow sound, the pumpkin is ripe and can be harvested. Another indication of full maturity is a dry, brownish, woody stalk. Not to forget the intense orange color of the fruit and a hard skin. If, despite all caution, they have gotten frost, they are no longer suitable for consumption and should be disposed of.
Harvest Hokkaido pumpkin properly
Depending on what use the pumpkin plants are to be put to after harvesting, they must also be harvested. Fruits that are intended for longer storage should always be harvested with the stalk or a stalk several centimeters long. This should not be injured if possible. If you remove it, it usually doesn't take long for the pumpkin to rot. In the case of pumpkins that are to be eaten or processed in a timely manner, the stalk is irrelevant and can be removed.
- Never leave fully ripe fruits on the bed or on the plant longer than necessary
- always harvest quickly
- otherwise it could lead to mouse bites
- or the Hokkaido pumpkin will start to rot
- on the day of harvest it should be as dry as possible
- Using a sharp knife, cut off the squash about 1 cm above the base of the stalk
- the longer the stalk attachment to the fruit, the better the shelf life
- do not injure or damage the squash when harvesting
- also avoid pressure points
- damaged fruits are not suitable for long-term storage
- dried flower heads can remain on the pumpkin
Tip: The more intense the color of a Hokkaido pumpkin, the more pronounced the taste and aroma and the more vitamins it contains. In contrast to many other pumpkin varieties, the Hokkaido can be eaten or processed with the skin on.
Dry pumpkin seeds
As a rule, none of these pumpkins has to be thrown away, because even the seeds are suitable for consumption. They can be dried, roasted or salted, add a special touch to salads, muesli and other dishes or serve as a small snack and baking ingredient. Like the pulp, they also have a nutty aroma and also contain many valuable ingredients.
After halving the pumpkin, the seeds and core can be removed relatively easily with a spoon. Then remove the sticking remains of the pulp and rinse the seeds under running water, preferably in a sieve. Then you spread them out on a kitchen towel or another absorbent cloth and rub them gently to remove any meat fibers that are still stuck.
Now they can be dried in the oven. To do this, preheat the oven to 180-200 degrees and spread the pumpkin seeds out on a baking tray lined with baking paper. For optimal drying, there should be enough space between the cores so that they do not touch.
Now place the tray with the cores in the oven to dry for about 20 minutes and turn the cores over halfway through. After baking, remove from the oven and let cool. When the pumpkin seeds have cooled down, you can easily crack them open with your fingers and free them from the shell or pod in a similar way to sunflower seeds. The dried kernels can then be stored in a sealable container in a cool and dry place and used as required.
storage
Preserve/Storage
Hokkaido pumpkins can generally be stored for several months. A storage period of more than three months is usually at the expense of quality.
- Specimens that are to be stored must not show any damage
- they must be completely intact
- the stalk should also be on the fruit and undamaged
- only ever store fully ripe fruit
- Storage room or place of storage should be well ventilated and dry
- Temperatures between 10 and 14 degrees are ideal
- hanging storage in a net recommended
If hanging storage is not possible, you can also store the Hokkaido pumpkin in wooden stairs or on wooden pallets. As with drying the pits, the fruits themselves should not be stacked on top of each other, but always stored side by side to avoid bruises and rot.