Your cart is currently empty!
Get Event Reminders…
…twice a month by subscribing to our newsletter
Subscribe using the form in the page footer below.
Your cart is currently empty!
…twice a month by subscribing to our newsletter
Subscribe using the form in the page footer below.
So you’ve carved your Halloween pumpkin, and it is a masterpiece! It’s time to take steps with your carved (or uncarved) pumpkin to keep it looking fresh and beautiful, keep it from rotting, and preserve your carved pumpkin to last longer.
The last thing you would want to see after carving some Halloween pumpkins is the lovely carved out smiles turning into rotting grimaces. You cannot completely stop pumpkins from rotting. Once exposed to air, mold, and bacteria they will naturally begin to rot.
Earlier in the year, the pumpkin vine started to grow, the leaves and flowers battled the elements, enduring days of direct sun, along with overcoming diseases like root rot, blossom end rot, and the white powdery mildew.
Its sole purpose is to decorate your front porch as a Halloween pumpkin or become a part of grandma’s delicious pumpkin pie! What a life!
However, your journey begins with selecting your pumpkin. Some families make a big “to-do” of picking this winter squash.
The whole family heads to a farm where they walk the fields full of giant pumpkins searching for the perfect gourd to harvest fresh from the vine.
Others visit a temporary pumpkin patch, where vendors truck in small and giant pumpkins with a small stem still attached. Included are other gourds, dried corn stalks, fresh apples and hay to assemble the “harvest season.”
Some get their pumpkin at the local grocery store.
After many miles of travel and handling, and before any carving begins, clean the outside of the pumpkin.
Below you’ll find several solutions, tips and techniques you can use to:
Perhaps, the best method to prevent carved or uncarved pumpkins from rotting is by preserving the pumpkin with bleach.
Spray your pumpkins, including the inside, the edges and all cut openings with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of bleach per quart of water to get rid of all the mold, mildew and other unwanted stuff.
Another way is to soak the pumpkins in bleach using the same bleach solution for about 20 minutes.
Giving your decorated pumpkins a solid misting with a bleach-based spray, such as Clorox Cleanup with Bleach can also come to the rescue.
Several commercial pumpkin preservative sprays, specially formulated to prevent pumpkins from decaying are on the market.
With names such as Pumpkin Fresh and Pumpkin Dunk’N extend the storage life of your carved pumpkin and keep it from rotting.
These preservatives contain water, borax and sodium benzoate. They work as a fungicidal solution that kills bacteria and mold.
All you need to do is dry the surface and spray the pumpkins with any of these marvelous sprays to make them last until your Happy Halloween.
Spraying some rubbing alcohol can work wonders when it comes to keeping pumpkins from rotting and avoiding mold build up.
Floor cleaners can also work as excellent preservatives for uncarved pumpkins, keeping them shiny and fresh for up to four weeks.
All you need to do is apply an acrylic liquid floor cleaner to a wet towel and wipe the pumpkins with the same.
Hairspray and acrylic finish sprays are another great sealants that prevent pumpkins from getting dehydrated.
The sprays work as a barrier to mold growth, at the same time preventing rodents from eating your jack-o-lanterns away.
Exhibiting anti-freezing and water-repelling properties, WD-40 is impressive when it comes to keeping uncarved pumpkins fresh for longer.
WD-40 also prevents insects and other creepy crawlers from swarming around the inside of your decorated buddies.
Carved pumpkins can reap the benefits too!
Simply spray WD-40 over the surface of the pumpkin and wipe off the excess. Wait a day to allow the spray to dry completely before you place a candle inside.
You can make sure that pranksters think twice about touching your pumpkin art by applying petroleum jelly to your sterilized carved pumpkin.
Smearing just a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the interior, the edges, and the cut-out sections of your jack-o-lanterns to create a barrier to combat bacteria from reaching the flesh and keep moisture trapped inside, at the same time adding some shine to them.
If you are going to paint your pumpkin, you can use Vaseline as a sealant to protect your work and help them last an extra week. Tabasco sauce plus petroleum jelly together help to repel pesky pumpkin-eating critters.
Most of the vegetable oils available out there can be quite helpful in preventing a pumpkin from getting rotten. Dry the pumpkins completely and rub a small amount of vegetable oil taken on a paper or cloth towel over the surface, in a way that it looks shiny but isn’t greasy.
Pumpkins rot quicker when exposed to direct sunlight. Put them in a place that’s away from the sun and try to keep them as cool as possible to make them last for about a week. In warm weather, you can also put your pumpkin in the refrigerator, but make sure you don’t freeze it.
Over time, pumpkins tend to start getting drying out or shriveled as they lose water content. In order to revive a dried out pumpkin, submerge it in a bath tub or a bucket of water overnight or at least, for a few hours. Make sure you wipe off excess water after taking the pumpkin out to prevent molding.
Remember, chemicals and oils are usually flammable and can prove to be dangerous if you choose to keep your pumpkins from rotting with these solutions and place candles insides.
Instead, you can put glow sticks or battery-operated tea lights inside your Halloween jack-o-lanterns.
Logging in to comment gives you more features, but it is not required.
Wild Bergamot is an important native species for pollinators. It is a drought-tolerant prairie perennial that spreads by seeds and rhizomes.
Discover more information on Peace Lily houseplant, its care and array of cultivars, and its air-cleansing properties!
Learn essential tips for fertilizing trees, shrubs, and perennials in early spring – organic fertilizer using soil microorganisms ensures steady nutrient delivery.
Sunflowers are versatile plants that provide a long summer bloom for the perennial border or cutting garden.
Experience the perfect blend of tangy lemons and subtle sweetness in Judith’s Meyer Lemon Marmalade recipe. Don’t miss out on this mouthwatering treat!
Learn how a quality landscaping service can protect your basement from costly flood damage through proper lawn grading, French drains, mulch management, and more.
Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) is an early spring bloomer and its yellow colours can be stunning in clusters.
Fixing deteriorated concrete patio is a priority when it’s an eyesore, can cause personal injury and lead to bigger problems and costs.
I have bulbs growing and that is amazing. I am keeping watch. Each day new and interesting things are emerging.
We look at guiding your path, safety, enjoying the outdoors, beauty and even increasing home value With landscape garden lighting.
Answer: Tomatoes grow good vines because they require plenty of sunlight and warm temperatures. To get the most out of your tomato plants it is important to provide them with at least 8 hours of direct sunlight and an average temperature of 75- 80 degrees. Additionally, they need plenty of soil nutrients and regular pruning to keep them healthy and to generate more tomatoes. Learn how to maintain your tomato plants for maximum fruit-bearing potential!
Discover the importance of planting native plants for attracting and supporting wildlife. Find resources to choose the right plants and learn essential gardening techniques for success.
GardeningCalendar.ca gets some funding from advertisers. If you click on links and advertisements at no cost to you, the site may receive a small commission that helps fund its operation.
© 2025 J&S Calendars Ltd.