7 Tips for Making Your Halloween Pumpkins Last

Fall & Pumpkin Carving

Autumn is here, even though it feels like Indian summer at times in Sonoma County. The kids are starting to talk about Halloween and the best pumpkin patch to go to. As you begin to search for the perfect pumpkin keep in mind pumpkins make great fall decorations, and are not just for Halloween. As pretty as they are, pumpkins can be messy; so how do you preserve your pumpkin so you can actually enjoy them as decorations?

We have some ingenious tips for being able to enjoy your carved pumpkins for longer periods of time. No one wants to deal with a sunken, fly invested, moldy pumpkin, yuck! So here are some tips that might help you enjoy your carved pumpkin longer.

Be Gentle with Your Pumpkins

To extend the life of your pumpkins, it’s best to handle them as little as possible. The only time you should touch your pumpkins is when you pick it, unload it to your home, clean it out and carve your pumpkins. Carry your pumpkin like a bag of groceries from the bottom and cradle it, don’t hold it by the stem. Broken pumpkin stems let in bacteria and start the aging process quicker.

The oil and bacteria from your hands can speed up the pumpkin decomposition process quickly. So only touch your pumpkins when you really need to. Dropping, bruising, or fingernail scratches all start the rotting process quicker. In the best of all worlds, once carved place your pumpkin in it’s desired home for the season and don’t touch it again.

Location Is Important

Most of us like to decorate our pathway or porch with pumpkins, but keep in mind how the sun hits your house and yard when finding the best placement for your carved pumpkins. Pumpkins like a covered porch–a dry and shaded spot for the season. The extremes are what hasten the pumpkin decaying process; so rain and sun is the pumpkins enemy for longevity. Too much sun will dry out your pumpkin, while moisture from rain can lead to mold and mush! So a sheltered placement for your fall pumpkin decorations is best.

Pumpkin Guts

When you are cleaning out your pumpkins make sure the insides are completely dry and free of all seeds. More this next month on great pumpkin seed recipes! Before starting to carve your pumpkins let the inside cavity dry out completely; moisture inside the pumpkin is the pumpkin’s enemy because moisture with air exposure from carving will lead to quicker rotting.

Clean Your Pumpkins

Mix one part bleach and ten parts water in a large container or you bathtub if you have a lot of pumpkins to wash. Bathe your pumpkins in this solution for about two minutes. The pumpkin will tend to want to float so you need to make sure that it is rotated in the water bath so all sides have been covered. Let the pumpkins dry completely in the spot you have chosen for their fall home. Be very sure the base and stem are very dry because this is were water tends to pool and not dry completely. You can also use the bath solution as a daily spray to keep bacteria from forming on your pumpkins and keeping them healthy, just make sure no water is pooling and they are dry at the end of the process.

Moisturize Your Pumpkin

I know, this starts to get confusing, first we tell you to make sure your pumpkin is totally dry on the inside with no gut residue and now we are telling you to moisturize you pumpkin. What gives? Carving pumpkins speeds up the decaying process, so best to do the first steps and have an un-carved pumpkin up until a a week before Halloween, it gives your pumpkin the best chance of a hardy long life. If you do decide to carve your pumpkins from the start rub down the insides after carving with olive oil or coconut oil to moisturize them. Since both are oils, it’s best to use a battery operated candle in your pumpkins since battery-operated candles produce less heat, they don’t speed up the pumpkin decaying process as much.

Keep Pests at Bay

Anything from fruit flies to a pesky raccoon family can mean a shorter life for your pumpkins! Put your pumpkins up on a porch, a hay bail or windowsill to keep squirrels and raccoons using your pumpkins as snack food. To keep fruit flies away, put out a saucer of wine next to your pumpkins or beer, the fruit flies are attracted to the liquid and die. The full proof method is a large mason jar with punches made in the lid and wine or beer inside the mason jar. The fruit flies can get in, but they can’t get out.

Pumpkin Insurance Spray

This is a two in one remedy; us a peppermint-based spray for your pumpkins. Mix some peppermint liquid soap with peppermint essential oil. Peppermint has anti-fungal properties, plus both fruit flies and ants don’t like peppermint. The peppermint oil spray will keep your pumpkin soft and smooth when they begin to dry out, plus you it’s a great natural pest deterrent.

You put a lot of time into finding the perfect pumpkin, carving it and adding it to your fall decorations, the above tips will help insure that your pumpkins have the longest life possible during our fall holiday season. Happy Halloween!