As Halloween approaches, many people continue the yearly adornment of carved pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns. From the basic yet classic triangle eyes and crooked grin to the ever-complicated entire landscapes and professional works. However, no matter the complexity of a pumpkin’s fancy seasonal attire, the age-old problem sets upon the ‘spooky season’ world: rotting pumpkins. Hotspots for rot, microbes, and bugs, jack-o-lanterns face a constant threat of collapsing, turning a sickly shade, or smelling horrid aromas. However, there are strategies to prevent one’s beloved orange friend from going the way of zombies.
The first strategy comes before carving begins, choosing a healthy pumpkin and transporting it carefully. Almost too rudimentary to think about, but if a pumpkin is rotting when you get it, chances are it will not last much longer. Some characteristics to avoid are loose stems, any denting or damage, breaks in the rine, or water-soaked spots on the fruit.
After finding the perfect pumpkin, the trip home can be dangerous for the pumpkin. Cars are hot spots for microbial colonies that can easily find shelter on the pumpkin (and if you take public transit, it is so much worse). Additionally, it is easy for the fruit to be bruised or have the stem broken. It would also be best to carry the pumpkin carefully, but not from the branch.
Once the perfect pumpkin is selected and safely transported, the next important strategy for protecting the future jack-o-lantern is to keep them dry and clean. Pumpkins grow on the ground where millions and millions of microbes, grubs, bugs, and more creepy-crawlies have access to them. When it comes time to carve, check that the surface is clean because as you puncture the fruit, you allow germs into the heart of the pumpkin. Additionally, ensure that no bacterial colonization occurs inside the pumpkin that could lead to premature rotting. If there is, try to use a different pumpkin.
After the perfect pumpkin is selected, correctly transported, and carved into a modern masterpiece – the challenge begins: protecting the fruit from harm and dangers of the world. The most pressing risk to a jack-o-lantern is the common-place rain that plagues Castle Point during October. When it rains, pumpkins become a hotspot of mold and mildew that sprout during the most air. Both can be detrimental to the well-being of a pumpkin. A good safeguard against this is simply placing it under an overhang, or displaying the masterpieces of the pumpkin through windows or only to the inside.
Sadly, no matter how perfect the pumpkin is, safe the travels are, clean the skin, or protected from the elements, all jack-o-lanterns will eventually begin to rot and collapse from former orange greatness into a messy pile of rot. To keep living spaces somewhat clean, when this starts to happen, it is best to put jack-o-lanterns outside to avoid spreading spores to living and eating spaces. However, do not throw the remains of the great creations into the garbage! Leave it outside for any local wildlife to enjoy, or atop a compost pile. Perhaps, if space is available, leave it in a safe spot outside and watch it grow into next year’s batch of pumpkins! For more information, check out this article from Popular Science on keeping pumpkins safe.
Be First to Comment