How to pick a pumpkin that lasts until Halloween
Pumpkin patches are open, and Halloween is four weeks away. Extension experts explain how to choose a pumpkin that keeps and when carving shortens its life.
The first weekend of October is peak pumpkin-patch season, and Halloween is four weeks from Saturday. The question many people have is how to bring home a pumpkin now and still have it look good on Oct. 31.
Start at the patch. NC State Extension recommends picking a pumpkin with a good stem left on, about 3 to 6 inches. Look for even color, and run your hands over it to feel for soft spots. Skip any pumpkin with bruises, cracks or punctures, since those let in the organisms that cause rot.
Uncarved pumpkins keep much longer than carved ones. NC State says properly cured pumpkins can last up to three months. Curing means holding a pumpkin somewhere warm, around 70 to 80 degrees, for 7 to 10 days, according to NC State.
Carving starts a clock. NC State says a carved pumpkin typically lasts 8 to 11 days, even with care. Their tips include washing the pumpkin with a diluted bleach solution before carving, sealing the cut edges with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil, and using battery-powered lights instead of candles, since heat speeds up decay.
If you want decorations up all month, consider painting or using markers on one pumpkin now and carving another the week of Halloween.
For today, buy for display and plan to carve around Oct. 24 or later, so the jack-o'-lantern still looks its best on the night.
Sources
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