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Our church is having a pumpkin carving contest coming up this week, so I thought it would be a good time to remind folks how to keep those pumpkins healthy through the fall season. We will start by growing our own pumpkins and finish the article with tips and tricks to select and maintain a pumpkin for Halloween.

The perfect pumpkin begins with the grower. If you have decided to grow in your backyard, it begins with the right variety for your home garden. This is where you may want to do a little homework and pay attention to the size, 50 pound plus pumpkins are hard to carve. Most pumpkin varieties do not do well in our heat and humidity either. Extension Area Specialized Agent, Erin Eure does a variety test every year so that we can recommend what will grow well here.

Plant pumpkins in an area that receives full sunlight and has well-drained soil. The soil pH should be between 6.0 and 6.5, but always get a soil test to make sure. Soils with a lower clay content are preferred but heavy soils can be amended with organic matter to work well. Always rotate your pumpkins and other cucurbit crops (squash) with non-cucurbit crops to lessen the instance of soil-borne and foliar diseases.

Pumpkins are a longer-season crop so, the next step in growing your own is to make sure that you get them planted at the right time and in the right place. Pumpkin cultivars can vary greatly in the length of days until maturity, anywhere from 90 up to 125 days. According to the 2023 Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook, in Eastern North Carolina that time would be between June 15 and July 10 to have pumpkins ready to harvest in time for Halloween.

Harvest pumpkins when uniformly orange and the rind is good and hard by cutting the stem with lopping shears or a sharp knife. Make certain to leave a good portion, typically 3 – 6 inches, of stem attached to the pumpkin. Do not carry your pumpkin by the stem, this can cause bruising or cutting, allowing pathogens to enter the fruit. If fruits are to be used right away, wash them with a 10% bleach solution. If fruit is to be stored, dry the rind, and then put in a shed or other place out of the sun that maintains a temperature between 70°F and 80°F for 7 – 10 days. This is the process of curing, it will harden the stem and rind even further.

If you are purchasing your pumpkins, go to a local grower if possible, yes we do have some in Beaufort County. Ask them if their pumpkins have been cured. Curing preserves the fruit for a longer storage life. If properly cured and stored, pumpkins can last for up to three months. Check to make sure there is plenty of stem still attached and look for a uniform color. Feel around the fruit to check for any soft spots, which make pumpkins rot much quicker. Handle the pumpkins with care to not bruise or puncture the skin.

What about carving a pumpkin? The biggest concerns in keeping pumpkins are preserving moisture loss and preventing pathogens for as long as possible. There are a few steps that we can take at home to aid in our quest to preserve our pumpkin décor for as long as possible.

Wash your pumpkin in a 10% bleach solution before carving (9 parts water to 1 part chlorine bleach)
Make sure the pumpkin is completely dry before carving
Handle the pumpkin as little and as gingerly as possible
Cut a hole in the rear of the fruit as small as is necessary, instead of the top
Remove all of the guts and dry the inside
Once carved, submerge it in a 10% bleach solution for 24 hours, dry it completely
Seal the cuts with Vaseline or vegetable oil to prevent moisture loss (caution, these products are flammable, do not use a real candle)
Place the pumpkin in a protected area away from direct sun, rain, and frost
Use a glow stick or an electric candle to light. Candles create heat, shortening shelf-life
Using a spray bottle, spray your creation down with the 10% bleach solution every day

If you employ all of these, your pumpkin should last between eight and 11 days so do not carve too soon. If you paint or use markers to decorate your pumpkin, it will last much longer. For more information, check out the NC State Extension Homegrown series on How to Pick and Keep the Perfect Pumpkin. You can find it on YouTube or our Homegrown website: homegrown.extension.ncsu.edu/.

Happy Fall Y’all!

If you have a question to submit, please email Gene Fox at gene_fox@ncsu.edu. Check us out on the Beaufort County Master Gardener Facebook page. Until then, happy gardening!