Do you carve pumpkins for Halloween? If so you are going to love this tip. I recently shared with you some tips on How to Preserve your Jack -o- Lantern. Another great tip that I learned 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. This is perfect if you happen to have some on hand. If not then be sure to start collecting them. I store them in a mason jar so that I am sure that my dogs or son doesn't get them. This is perfect as they are normally placed in shoes or purses so when you run across them just stash them away for later.
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 ?
Here is a great recipe for your pumpkin seeds too!
15 HALLOWEEN RECIPES
Ghosts in the Graveyard Boo Cups
Melissa is a soccer mom who has been married to her best friend for 21 years. She loves sharing recipes, travel reviews and tips that focus on helping busy families make memories.
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