Timing is everything for marketing pumpkins. Growers timed Marshall County pumpkin's maturity just right this year. Anyone wanting to cook pumpkin may want to wait until after Oct. 31, when prices drop. Dr. Barbara McLaurin, extension human nutrition specialist at MSU, said pumpkins are economical, nutritious and versatile vegetables. Pumpkins will last about a month in a 55 to 60 degree location.
Lower temperatures can injure the produce.
Stored above 60 degrees, pumpkins gradually lose moisture and become stringy. The nutritionist encouraged people interested in canning pumpkin to contact county extension home economists for recommendations. A growing trend across the state is smaller, U-pick fields. Pumpkins don't require pruning or staking. Mississippians can visit the pumpkin patch at the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station in Crystal Springs during the upcoming Fall Garden Day from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Oct. 17.