Tips to Turn Green Pumpkins Orange After Vines Die

06.06.2023 - 21:03 / gardenerspath.com / Laura Ojeda Melchor / Winter Squash

Accidents happen. This is one of the universal truths of life, and it’s also true of pumpkins, my favorite fall fregetables.

Take this scenario, for example:

You’ve been growing several gorgeous gourds on a strong, hardy vine, and they’re getting larger every day.

You dream of making your own homegrown pumpkins into pie, or of carving your giant squash into the most delightful jack-o’-lanterns.

But then, something terrible happens. Maybe it’s caused by an early frost, an extreme case of powdery mildew, or an energetic young helper in the garden who accidentally broke the vine.

Whatever the reason, the life-giving vine dies, leaving your unripe gourd sitting pretty… and it’s pretty green.

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

If this has happened to you, take a deep breath and keep reading. If the fruit is close enough to maturity, you can still help it to turn orange.

We will show you how!

If you’re looking for basic tips to grow your own pumpkins at home, read our guide.

In this article, here’s what you’ll discover:

Let’s go into a bit more detail about the three main reasons why your vine may have died before the squash could turn orange.

But first, a caveat: if the vine dies only halfway through the growing season, unfortunately there’s nothing you can do to coax the fruit to turn orange.

This guide is for those late-season issues that can befall your plants, resulting in a nearly mature pumpkin that isn’t orange yet.

Nothing hits your vines harder than a freeze of 32°F or lower. An early or unexpected frost can make gardeners despair – especially if they