Ways to Preserve Your Pumpkin

Do you pick a pumpkin every year?  You probably do not want your pumpkin to rot after only a few days.  We have gathered some great tips on the jack-o-lantern season.  These will help you pick the best pumpkin and keep it fresh as long as possible.  You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.



3 Tips for Picking a Good Pumpkin

The best way to ensure the longevity of your Jack-o’-lantern is to begin with a healthy pumpkin. While there’s no such thing as the "perfect" pumpkin, there are several things you can look for to get your Jack-o’-lantern off to a great start.

Inspect the skin. When you select a pumpkin, keep an eye out for gouges or blemishes. While dings and dents may give a pumpkin character, they also invite rotting and pests.

Poke and prod. If a pumpkin is even a little soft in the patch or pile, the rotting process is already underway. What begins as a small, soft spot can grow into a large, caved-in mess overnight. Look for a pumpkin with even color and firm flesh. Poke around to find one that doesn’t give when pressed gently.

Pick local. Purchasing from a local pumpkin patch means your pumpkin has been spared the bruising and battering that comes along with being shipped across the country in a back of a truck. Check out Local Harvest for a listing of pumpkin growers and U-pick farms in your area.




Understand What Makes a Pumpkin Rot

Once you’ve found your perfect pumpkin, it’s time to dig in. But first, it is important to understand the factors that lead to pumpkin rot. Pumpkin skin provides a protective layer from the elements. Once the skin is broken, organisms like fungi, bacteria, molds and insects are able to enter and begin breaking it down. Oxidation and dehydration also contribute to the rotting process, which means from the moment you make the first cut, the clock starts ticking.

Many methods for sterilizing and preserving pumpkins involve the unnecessary use of harsh chemicals and environmentally unfriendly solutions. Common tricks include using bleach or apple cider vinegar, but Mat says NO to this. Bleach is dangerous and apple cider vinegar will only attract bugs.




5 Natural Ways to Extend the Life of Your Pumpkin

Scrape and discard the "pumpkin guts". When prepping your pumpkin for carving, be sure to scrape and discard as much of the pulp (aka “pumpkin guts”) as possible. The cleaner and drier the pumpkin interior, the slower the rotting process.

Clean with peppermint dish soap. Dilute one tablespoon of peppermint dish soap such as Peppermint 

Castile Soap in a quart of water. Pour into a clean spray bottle. Lightly spray the inside of your pumpkin. Peppermint is an antifungal and will slow the decomposition process, significantly extending the life of your pumpkin.

Consider refrigerating overnight. If you live in a warm climate, consider placing your carved pumpkins in the fridge at night instead of leaving them on the porch. Spray your pumpkins with the 

Castile-water mixture and wrap in a trash bag prior to placing in the fridge. This process will rehydrate your pumpkins each night.

Consider soaking overnight. Another way to rehydrate your pumpkins is to fill a large bucket, bin or tub with cold water. Soak pumpkins overnight. Typically, pumpkins set out for less than a week won’t need rehydration, especially if you live in a cool climate. If you notice yours beginning to wilt, however, take them for a dip!

Use a fruit fly trap. Much like any other produce you bring into your home, pumpkins attract fruit flies. Drawn to rotting fruit and vegetables, fruit flies will expedite the process, leaving a damaged pumpkin and an infestation behind. Natural fruit fly solutions, like Aunt Fannie’s FlyPunch! or this DIY mixture, are a poison-free way to prevent fruit flies from settling in to do damage. Your pumpkin lives to see another day, and your home remains free from invaders.