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
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:
Remove dirt: Wipe the exterior surfaces of the pumpkin clean using a
damp cloth.
Make a bleach solution of1 tablespoon of bleach (typical brand name "Clorox)
per quart of water and put it in a spray bottle.
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.
Let it penetrate and dry for about 20 minutes
Drain any excess liquid out of the pumpkin
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!
This is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother
used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and
spaghetti sauce!. This complete kit includes everything you need: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs,
lid lifting wand, six pint jars with lids and rings, a plastic funnel,
labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. You'll
never need anything else except more jars and lids!
Can't find the equipment? We
ship to all 50 states! Just
email us!
Don't forget about
us for
apples
in Autumn,
cut-your-own Christmas trees
in December, and strawberries in the Spring!
