How to Easily Make Your Carved Halloween Pumpkin Last Longer!

How to Preserve Your Carved Pumpkin to Make It Last Longer!

A little simple Halloween magic with household items will make your Jack O'Lantern last a week longer!

Did you carve a great pumpkin last year only to have it rot days before Halloween? Here's how to preserve and protect it!

What causes the pumpkin to decay?

There are several primary causes heartbreak of "pumpkin rot"

• The intact skin of a pumpkin protects it until you carve it. But then various organisms (fungi, bacteria, molds, fungi, protozoans, insects - scientifically know as "those little buggers!") can get inside and start to break it down.
• Oxygen in the air can also easily enter and break down the pumpkin (oxidation).
• Simple dehydration (drying out) will will begin the moment the pumpkin is carved.

All of this will turn your carved young happy pumpkin face into a sad old man in several days time!

How to stop pumpkin aging:

Get Dad's Rogaine and Mom's Botox.... no, just kidding! What we need to do is

• Sterilize the pumpkin's carved surfaces (to kill fungi, mold, bacteria, bugs)
• Keep the pumpkin cool to slow bacteria growth and reduce drying
• Keep the pumpkin hydrated

Essentially, we're going to embalm your Jack O'Lantern, just like the ancient Egyptians did their mummies! (Hey, maybe they practiced on pumpkins!)

Here are the simple steps:

1. Remove dirt: Wipe the exterior surfaces of the pumpkin clean using a damp cloth.
2. Make a bleach solution of1 tablespoon of bleach (typical brand name "Clorox) per quart of water and put it in a spray bottle.
3. Spray the pumpkin inside and all cut areas of the pumpkin with the solution. This will kill much of the surface bacteria and mold that cause rotting.
4. Let it penetrate and dry for about 20 minutes
5. Drain any excess liquid out of the pumpkin
6. Now, keep your pumpkin out of direct sunlight and try to keep it as cool as possible (but above freezing!) and you should get at least a week's enjoyment out of it! Then when it's time to go, you can employ several thousand laborers to build a giant pyramid in your backyard to entomb your Jack O'Mummy! Next week: building a pumpkin sarcophagus! Ok, maybe we're getting carried away. But hey, kids love the analogy; anything having to do with mummies or dinosaurs!

If you want to see an actual experiment trying different pumpkin preserving methods, see this page!

Click here to see kits, tools, books and templates for carving pumpkins.

---

Halloween Costumes

Here are some of the most popular Halloween costumes for children this year. For more choices, see our Halloween costumes pages.

You may find these websites useful!

Here's the quick list to related farms for PYO, Honey, Pumpkins, Christmas trees, etc.:

• Local pick your own farms for apples, strawberries, raspberries, corn, tomatoes, etcr
• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Children's consignment sales
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Road trip and camping tips, tricks and How-to's
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed and Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms and lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers

 

 

Find Related Information and Resources Here!

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Pick Your Own fruits and vegetable farms
• Home canning supplies at the best prices on the internet!
• Local fruit and vegetable festivals
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Easter egg hunts
• Local honey finder
• Locally raised Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Environmental information and resources
• Consumer fraud and scams information
• Farms For Your Event for birthday parties, weddings, receptions, business meetings, retreats, etc.
• Maple Syrup Farms, sugarworks, maple syrup festivals
• Horse Rides And More
• Winery Tours And Tastings
• Farm Bed And Breakfasts
• Wholesale Food Sources 
• Pumpkin patches (THIS website, you're already here)
• Corn mazes