Preventing your pumpkin from rotting can be a bit of a challenge, but you can set yourself up for success by choosing a pumpkin fit to carve. “The best pumpkin for carving would be a really nice, strong, sturdy one that has zero defects,” explains gardening expert Shirley Bovshow of Eden Makers and star of Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family. “If you find a pumpkin that looks really nice, but has soft spots or bruises here or there, that pumpkin is already degrading, and it goes downhill really fast!” Once you’ve found the perfect pumpkin, there are many DIY preservation tricks you can try to protect your festive seasonal decor from decay.
Click below to check out some of the most buzzed-about options out there, and then tell us: How have you managed to successfully preserve your pumpkins in the past? Images via booleansplit/Flickr; shanntastic/Flickr More from The Stir: How to Grow Pumpkins in 6 Steps — It’s Not Too Early to Start! (VIDEO) “After carving a pumpkin, you have to wipe down the whole pumpkin, especially the cut areas,” explains Bovshow. “Then spray your bleach solution completely over the flesh part. The reason for that is the bacteria and fungus grow in that area when the air touches it. The bleach cuts the germs.” Bovshow recommends letting the sprayed pumpkin dry for a few hours and finishing up the job with Wilt-Pruf Plant Protector. “It is what they call an anti-dessicant, which means anti-drying,” she explains. “It seals in the pumpkin’s moisture.” The upshot: “I would say most pumpkins start rotting within a couple of days, and Wilt-Pruf would double the time it keeps,” Bovshow says. Speaking of bringing it inside, that’s exactly what you’ll want to do if temperatures dip. “If you’re expecting a frost, cover or better yet, bring [the pumpkin] in for the night, so it doesn’t freeze,” says Kim Pezza of The New Century Homesteader and author of The Backyard Farming series. “Freezing of any sort will be the end of the pumpkin!” “Candles totally dry out the pumpkin, too,” says Bovshow. “And they are [especially] not a good idea after you’ve put bleach on it!”
title: “10 Ways To Preserve Your Pumpkin Through Halloween” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-05” author: “Donald Palmer”
Preventing your pumpkin from rotting can be a bit of a challenge, but you can set yourself up for success by choosing a pumpkin fit to carve. “The best pumpkin for carving would be a really nice, strong, sturdy one that has zero defects,” explains gardening expert Shirley Bovshow of Eden Makers and star of Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family. “If you find a pumpkin that looks really nice, but has soft spots or bruises here or there, that pumpkin is already degrading, and it goes downhill really fast!” Once you’ve found the perfect pumpkin, there are many DIY preservation tricks you can try to protect your festive seasonal decor from decay.
Click below to check out some of the most buzzed-about options out there, and then tell us: How have you managed to successfully preserve your pumpkins in the past? Images via booleansplit/Flickr; shanntastic/Flickr More from The Stir: How to Grow Pumpkins in 6 Steps — It’s Not Too Early to Start! (VIDEO) “After carving a pumpkin, you have to wipe down the whole pumpkin, especially the cut areas,” explains Bovshow. “Then spray your bleach solution completely over the flesh part. The reason for that is the bacteria and fungus grow in that area when the air touches it. The bleach cuts the germs.” Bovshow recommends letting the sprayed pumpkin dry for a few hours and finishing up the job with Wilt-Pruf Plant Protector. “It is what they call an anti-dessicant, which means anti-drying,” she explains. “It seals in the pumpkin’s moisture.” The upshot: “I would say most pumpkins start rotting within a couple of days, and Wilt-Pruf would double the time it keeps,” Bovshow says. Speaking of bringing it inside, that’s exactly what you’ll want to do if temperatures dip. “If you’re expecting a frost, cover or better yet, bring [the pumpkin] in for the night, so it doesn’t freeze,” says Kim Pezza of The New Century Homesteader and author of The Backyard Farming series. “Freezing of any sort will be the end of the pumpkin!” “Candles totally dry out the pumpkin, too,” says Bovshow. “And they are [especially] not a good idea after you’ve put bleach on it!”
title: “10 Ways To Preserve Your Pumpkin Through Halloween” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-08” author: “Randee Doty”
Preventing your pumpkin from rotting can be a bit of a challenge, but you can set yourself up for success by choosing a pumpkin fit to carve. “The best pumpkin for carving would be a really nice, strong, sturdy one that has zero defects,” explains gardening expert Shirley Bovshow of Eden Makers and star of Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family. “If you find a pumpkin that looks really nice, but has soft spots or bruises here or there, that pumpkin is already degrading, and it goes downhill really fast!” Once you’ve found the perfect pumpkin, there are many DIY preservation tricks you can try to protect your festive seasonal decor from decay.
Click below to check out some of the most buzzed-about options out there, and then tell us: How have you managed to successfully preserve your pumpkins in the past? Images via booleansplit/Flickr; shanntastic/Flickr More from The Stir: How to Grow Pumpkins in 6 Steps — It’s Not Too Early to Start! (VIDEO) “After carving a pumpkin, you have to wipe down the whole pumpkin, especially the cut areas,” explains Bovshow. “Then spray your bleach solution completely over the flesh part. The reason for that is the bacteria and fungus grow in that area when the air touches it. The bleach cuts the germs.” Bovshow recommends letting the sprayed pumpkin dry for a few hours and finishing up the job with Wilt-Pruf Plant Protector. “It is what they call an anti-dessicant, which means anti-drying,” she explains. “It seals in the pumpkin’s moisture.” The upshot: “I would say most pumpkins start rotting within a couple of days, and Wilt-Pruf would double the time it keeps,” Bovshow says. Speaking of bringing it inside, that’s exactly what you’ll want to do if temperatures dip. “If you’re expecting a frost, cover or better yet, bring [the pumpkin] in for the night, so it doesn’t freeze,” says Kim Pezza of The New Century Homesteader and author of The Backyard Farming series. “Freezing of any sort will be the end of the pumpkin!” “Candles totally dry out the pumpkin, too,” says Bovshow. “And they are [especially] not a good idea after you’ve put bleach on it!”
title: “10 Ways To Preserve Your Pumpkin Through Halloween” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-20” author: “Reuben Taylor”
Preventing your pumpkin from rotting can be a bit of a challenge, but you can set yourself up for success by choosing a pumpkin fit to carve. “The best pumpkin for carving would be a really nice, strong, sturdy one that has zero defects,” explains gardening expert Shirley Bovshow of Eden Makers and star of Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family. “If you find a pumpkin that looks really nice, but has soft spots or bruises here or there, that pumpkin is already degrading, and it goes downhill really fast!” Once you’ve found the perfect pumpkin, there are many DIY preservation tricks you can try to protect your festive seasonal decor from decay.
Click below to check out some of the most buzzed-about options out there, and then tell us: How have you managed to successfully preserve your pumpkins in the past? Images via booleansplit/Flickr; shanntastic/Flickr More from The Stir: How to Grow Pumpkins in 6 Steps — It’s Not Too Early to Start! (VIDEO) “After carving a pumpkin, you have to wipe down the whole pumpkin, especially the cut areas,” explains Bovshow. “Then spray your bleach solution completely over the flesh part. The reason for that is the bacteria and fungus grow in that area when the air touches it. The bleach cuts the germs.” Bovshow recommends letting the sprayed pumpkin dry for a few hours and finishing up the job with Wilt-Pruf Plant Protector. “It is what they call an anti-dessicant, which means anti-drying,” she explains. “It seals in the pumpkin’s moisture.” The upshot: “I would say most pumpkins start rotting within a couple of days, and Wilt-Pruf would double the time it keeps,” Bovshow says. Speaking of bringing it inside, that’s exactly what you’ll want to do if temperatures dip. “If you’re expecting a frost, cover or better yet, bring [the pumpkin] in for the night, so it doesn’t freeze,” says Kim Pezza of The New Century Homesteader and author of The Backyard Farming series. “Freezing of any sort will be the end of the pumpkin!” “Candles totally dry out the pumpkin, too,” says Bovshow. “And they are [especially] not a good idea after you’ve put bleach on it!”
title: “10 Ways To Preserve Your Pumpkin Through Halloween” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-03” author: “Myrtle Craven”
Preventing your pumpkin from rotting can be a bit of a challenge, but you can set yourself up for success by choosing a pumpkin fit to carve. “The best pumpkin for carving would be a really nice, strong, sturdy one that has zero defects,” explains gardening expert Shirley Bovshow of Eden Makers and star of Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family. “If you find a pumpkin that looks really nice, but has soft spots or bruises here or there, that pumpkin is already degrading, and it goes downhill really fast!” Once you’ve found the perfect pumpkin, there are many DIY preservation tricks you can try to protect your festive seasonal decor from decay.
Click below to check out some of the most buzzed-about options out there, and then tell us: How have you managed to successfully preserve your pumpkins in the past? Images via booleansplit/Flickr; shanntastic/Flickr More from The Stir: How to Grow Pumpkins in 6 Steps — It’s Not Too Early to Start! (VIDEO) “After carving a pumpkin, you have to wipe down the whole pumpkin, especially the cut areas,” explains Bovshow. “Then spray your bleach solution completely over the flesh part. The reason for that is the bacteria and fungus grow in that area when the air touches it. The bleach cuts the germs.” Bovshow recommends letting the sprayed pumpkin dry for a few hours and finishing up the job with Wilt-Pruf Plant Protector. “It is what they call an anti-dessicant, which means anti-drying,” she explains. “It seals in the pumpkin’s moisture.” The upshot: “I would say most pumpkins start rotting within a couple of days, and Wilt-Pruf would double the time it keeps,” Bovshow says. Speaking of bringing it inside, that’s exactly what you’ll want to do if temperatures dip. “If you’re expecting a frost, cover or better yet, bring [the pumpkin] in for the night, so it doesn’t freeze,” says Kim Pezza of The New Century Homesteader and author of The Backyard Farming series. “Freezing of any sort will be the end of the pumpkin!” “Candles totally dry out the pumpkin, too,” says Bovshow. “And they are [especially] not a good idea after you’ve put bleach on it!”
