I wanted to share with you some tips for Carving Pumpkins and how to preserve your Jack -o-Lantern. My son and husband spend a lot of time planning and carving our pumpkins each year. Did you know that you should soak your pumpkin in water for 12 hours after you carve it (face side down) that it will extend the life of your carved pumpkins. You can do this in your kitchen sink or in your bath tub.
Pumpkin Carving Tips – How to Preserve your Jack -o- Lantern
You can also add 1 tsp of bleach to 1 gallon of water if you want. The bleach will help kill bacteria and delay decay and help your pumpkin stay fresher longer.
Another tip is to pat your pumpkin dry and then brush the inside and around all of the carvings with 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar diluted in 1 quart of water. We use a pastry brush or you can place the mixture in a clean spray bottle and lightly spray your pumpkin. My husband did this to our pumpkins last year and they lasted twice as long as the year before! This is a great tip for keeping your jack-o-lanterns fresh longer.
Another tip is to place your carved pumpkins in the refrigerator if it is warm outside instead of leaving them out over night. My husband spends a lot of time carving and each year our pumpkins have a theme so he wants his hard work to pay off and last longer. He often sprays them with the water mixture he places them in a large plastic bag or wraps them with saran wrap to keep them moist and places them in our refrigerator.
Another tip is to rub petroleum jelly (Vaseline) on the cut edges of your carving, it will help it from drying out. If you place a lit candle inside your pumpkin be sure to coat the lid with ground cinnamon, nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice. It makes for a great smell 🙂
Another great tip to extend the life of your Jack-O-Lanterns is to use Silica Gel Packets inside! It will help the pumpkins from molding when outside during the Halloween season.
Here is a great recipe for your pumpkin seeds too!
15 HALLOWEEN RECIPES
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Melissa is a soccer mom who has been married to her best friend for 20 years. She loves sharing recipes, travel reviews and tips that focus on helping busy families make memories.
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Tanya
October 28, 2014 at 7:25 pmI brushed apple cider vinegar over my Jack o lanterns last night, but I forogt to dilute it. They were covered in flies this morning. Sigh, don’t make my mistake.