What Causes Rotting Pumpkins?

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You're probably familiar with your farm fresh veggies rotting, and pumpkins are no exception. When you mix in the exposure to the elements that your pumpkin will get in its proud position on your front porch, the rate of decay is increased. Exposure to air, temperature swings, and bacteria put your pumpkin at risk for rotting around the holidays. This process fights bacteria and other influences that help your pumpkin to decay, and let’s you keep a good-looking pumpkin way past the night of Halloween. 

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How to Keep Your Pumpkin From Rotting & Make it Last *Forever

*Or at least for weeks.

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What you’ll need

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• A Large Container (this will need to fit your pumpkin and a mixture)
• Carving Kit
• Bleach
• Vinegar
• Lemon Juice

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Instructions

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1. Scoop out / carve your pumpkin
2. Dip it in a large container of bleach and water (use a 1 tsp:1 gal mix) note: The bleach will kill bacteria and help your pumpkin stay fresh longer.
3. Completely dry the pumpkin (drain upside down), 
4. Add 2 Tbsp of vinegar and 1 tsp of lemon juice to a quart of water and brush this solution onto your pumpkin to keep it looking fresh for weeks. note: this helps seal the cut edges of your pumpkin

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Once Carved

1. Pay attention to the weather. Freezing temps will turn your pumpkin to goo faster than anything!

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Additional pumpkin preservation tips...

1. If doing ornate carving (jack-o-lantern style) wait until within a week of Halloween to avoid your pumpkin going limp too soon.
2. If doing a relief carving, don’t clean the pumpkin until close to Halloween time (if at all).  It’ll last up to a month, sometimes longer.

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What Makes Webfoot the Pumpkin Carving Experts? 

Learn about our 14 years of Carving for Kids.