8 Tips for How to Make Pumpkins Last Longer This Halloween

Nothing scares trick-or-treaters away like a sunken pumpkin. Protect your pumpkin from rot with a few of these tips and products.

No matter what decorations you like for Halloween, from funny to fearful, we can all agree that there is nothing scarier than a sunken, sad pumpkin. Learn how to make pumpkins last longer so your festive carved pumpkins don't go from sweet to scary. Put on a delightful display all season long with these easy tricks to extend the life of your Halloween pumpkins. We'll show you how to make your pumpkin last longer with our ingenious tips (plus must-have products!). Just a few simple steps will help you love your carved pumpkins for longer.

Related: 7 Pumpkin-Carving Safety Tips to Follow This Halloween

Handle with Care

The first tip for how to make pumpkins last longer is to try your best to keep your hands off them. You should only touch your fruit when you pick it, unload it from your car, and clean it. After you choose the best pumpkin in the patch, grab around the fruit instead of gripping the stem—a broken stem means a shorter pumpkin life.

The oils from your fingers can speed up the rotting process, so only touch your pumpkins when you absolutely need to. Handling the pumpkin too aggressively can also lead to unwanted cuts from fingernail snags or bruises from gripping too hard. Ideally, you'll set your pumpkin in its desired home for the season, and it won't be touched again!

Related: 19 No-Carve Halloween Pumpkins for a Safe Family Project for Everyone

Location Is Key

If you plan on keeping your pumpkins outside, place them in a dry, shaded spot—like a covered porch—for the entire season. Too much hot sun will speed up a pumpkin's decaying process, as will rain. Moisture from rain can lead to mold and mush, which no one wants on their beautiful pumpkins! Plus, those pumpkins will look gorgeous on your fall front porch.

Give Them a Bath

Bathe your pumpkin now and then to keep its rind fresh. Mix one part bleach to ten parts water in a large container and let your pumpkin bathe in the solution for two minutes. Since the pumpkin will float in the solution, you'll need to stir it around to make sure all sides of the pumpkin get covered. Let your pumpkin dry completely before setting it back in its designated home. Also, be sure that the base of the stem, where liquid tends to pool, is dry. The bleach-water solution in your pumpkin bath can also be used as a daily spray to keep your pumpkins healthy.

Let It Dry

When cleaning out your pumpkin, make sure that the inside is entirely free of guts. Before taking carving tools to your pumpkin, let the cavity dry out; moisture inside the pumpkin, paired with more air exposure from cuts, will make it rot faster.

Related: 19 Smiling Pumpkin Ideas for the Happiest Halloween Ever

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

Another method for how to make pumpkins last longer is to moisturize them properly. While carving pumpkins is a tradition we all know and love, unfortunately, it will speed up the decaying process—oxidation will happen as soon as the pumpkin is cut open, and it'll dry out faster. If you decide to carve your pumpkins, extend their life by rubbing petroleum jelly ($3, Target) around the carved areas of the pumpkin. If you don't have petroleum jelly, use olive or coconut oil.

Make a Pumpkin Spray

Another way to moisturize the rind is to spray your pumpkin with a peppermint-based conditioning spray. To make this, mix a peppermint soap (we like Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Liquid Soap, $21, Walgreens) with a few drops of peppermint essential oil. Peppermint has anti-fungal properties that will keep your pumpkins soft and smooth when they start getting dry. Also, the peppermint will leave your pumpkin display with a pleasant smell!

Keep Pests Away

Don't let your Halloween get any scarier with pests around your pumpkins. Unfortunately, because pumpkins are vegetables, pests want to snack on them just as much as they like to enjoy your homegrown tomatoes, zucchini, and other produce. The most effective way to avoid ground-lurking pests like squirrels and ants is to keep your pumpkins off the ground. Set them on a windowsill or stack them on haybales—this is your chance to get creative!

Pumpkins, especially carved ones, are particularly prone to fruit flies. The main thing that attracts fruit flies? Mold. The first step to fruit fly prevention is carving your pumpkin correctly. Make sure that the inside of the pumpkin is entirely gut-free, which will lessen the chance of mold. To trap the flies, place an open dish of wine next to your pumpkins—yes, you heard us right. Since fruit flies are attracted to fermented fruit, the wine will be a distraction. Place a fruit fly trap nearby if these pesky insects are still hanging around your pumpkin.

Related: How to Etch a Pumpkin for an Artistic Addition to Your Porch

Avoid Candles

While a flickering candle inside your carved pumpkin is festive at night, avoiding flames in or near your pumpkin is best. The flame inside a pumpkin will cause the interior to dry out, which means it will rot faster. Instead, use a flickering battery-operated light.

Don't let your precious pumpkin carving time and effort go to waste: Use these tips and products that are essential to how to make pumpkins last longer.

For more Better Homes & Gardens news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens.