We’re going to carve a Q98 pumpkin coming up for halloween, I was told we should have carved it already but I always find that a jackolantern doesn’t last very long once you’ve added your creative flare! So I did a little bit of digging on the interwebs to find out the best way to treat your pumpkin! Check it out
- Pick a good one! it’s easy to tell if a pumpkin is fresh. Look at the stem. If it has no stem that’s a bad sign. If the stem is really dry, browning, or brittle, those are also bad signs. You want one that is green and really strong. That shows you it was on the vine until just recently
- Make a Plan! The best pumpkins come from a plan. That can be a carving template, or just your imagination but make sure you have a good idea of what you’re doing.
- Git ‘er DONE! Once you start carving don’t stop, work as fast as you can safely. The sooner you’re done the longer you have to enjoy it. Once you cut into a pumpkin it will start to deteriorate fast so don’t waste time
- The Wetter the Better! Keep a water spray bottle handy. A big reason your pumpkin is going to start to cave in or wrinkle up is the loss of water. The thick skin on an uncut pumpkin holds in an incredible amount of moisture, once you lat that out the pumpkin changes quickly. As you carve make sure to spray the pumpkin down to keep it from looking like someone opened the Arc of the Covenant.
- Leave the Top On! And the bottom for that matter. the pros never cut off those “life line’s”. The Stem is actually responsible for the life of the pumpkin well after it’s been removed from the pumpkin patch. Instead go in through a hole in the back.
- Get them GUTS! Seriously, get it all out. Don’t leave bits and pieces of the stringy guts. They will get moldy fast and that will spread to the rest of your pumpkin in a flash.
- Stay Cool! Don’t leave your pumpkin outside to freeze unless it will freeze solid and stay there. If the temp is going up and down when it thaws it will be ruined. The best thing is to keep it in the garage or even better in the fridge to give your work of art a few extra days of life.
