They should be firm and orange except maybe where they contact the soil. Uunless you have turned the pumpkin then the ripening should be fairly uniform. the color will be orange all over then. A ripe pumpkin when rapped with your knuckles, should sould hard. If the pumpkin is mostly green it is not ripe. If the sound is muted or the pumpkin is soft, be concerned - it may be in the early stages of rot. Pick when they are ripe and store ion a cooll dry location till ready foe use. Depending on the storage conditions, the pumpkins can store for three or more months.
