One of our favorite traditions as Halloween approaches is carving out or painting our pumpkins to adorn our front porch. After all, what says Happy Halloween like a ghoulishly grinning gourd?
However, living in the south can do a number on those carved creations. Between the humidity and insects, environmental conditions and bacteria can cause your pumpkin to start decomposing quickly. Don't worry, we've found these helpful tips for preserving pumpkins to keep them lasting up until Halloween or longer!
First, when you pick out your pumpkin look for one that is in good shape. Look out for signs of damage such as scrapes, cracks, or nicks in the rind as well as soft or mushy spots. These are going to start decomposing quicker.
When you are preparing your pumpkin for carving be sure to thoroughly remove all of the pulp inside.
Soak your pumpkin in a bucket or sink with soapy water and vinegar. A few drops of dish soap will do. Add 1 cup of vinegar to a gallon of water and soak pumpkin for 30 minutes. Pat dry using a towel or paper towel and allow your pumpkin to dry thoroughly before replacing the top if you've carved it out.
Avoid placing your pumpkin in direct sunlight.
Why vinegar? I've seen other posts that recommend a bleach solution for soaking pumpkins to preserve them or essential oils and applying petroleum jelly and other substances to help them repel water. We don't advise these for a number of reasons. Bleach and other chemicals can be toxic or lethal to animals and wildlife if they eat the pumpkins. Vinegar is not harmful and provides a safe, natural alternative so after the season you can toss it to feed wildlife in your community.
