The following essay is covered in The Conversation, an online publication.
Pumpkins are a sign that fall is here. Pumpkin flavor promotions begin at coffee shops, restaurants and grocery stores in late August. Pumpkins and turban squash are popular in the late summer and fall season.
Pumpkins and squash are fruits that don't last forever. If you carve them too early, they won't make it to Halloween.
I have both succeeded and failed at growing, carving and keeping pumpkins in their prime through the end of October, as a plant pathologist and gardener. There are some things you can do to help your carving last longer.
You should shop for pumpkins the same way you shop for produce. If you plan on carving them, choose pumpkins that are undamaged. The stem may be loose. There may be a break in the rind. Is there any water on the outside?
Post-harvest diseases, which occur after the pumpkin is removed from the vine, can occur anywhere between the field where the pumpkin was grown and your front step. Microbes,bacteria, water mold and small insects will be able to enter and colonize your pumpkins if you have a bruise or crack. The rind and stem are the most important parts of the pumpkin.
The trip home is important as well. Most of us transport pets, kids, muddy hiking boots and food in our cars, which makes them petri dishes with common environmental mold andbacteria. Your pumpkins could be colonized by some of thoseMicrobes.
Pumpkins should be secured on their way to your house so they don't get bruised or broken. Seat belts are used to protect ours. If you carry your pumpkin by the stem, it can break, especially if it is large.
Pumpkins spend most of their lives in fields, where they develop on top of soil that is home to many organisms. If you want to preserve your pumpkin, you need to remove the organisms and eggs that are attached to it.
If you want to get rid of them, you need to wipe them down. If you plan to carve them, you must pierce the dirty rind with a sharp tool. Clean tools are also a must. Pumpkin debris stuck in the teeth of carving knives can be a breeding ground forMicrobes.
Even if you don't carve your pumpkin, wiping it down is a good idea since it may have small injuries that are easy to ignore.
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The process of carving a pumpkin involves removing the seeds and fibers from the pumpkin's walls. You should inspect the inside walls for soft rotten patches or dark tissues, which may have been colonized before or after harvest. Pumpkins can have an off-putting smell, so use your nose to detect it.
You might want to try carving another pumpkin if you find these issues. It is possible to paint pumpkins instead of carving them.
Thinning out pumpkins' walls is one of the recommended ways to allow light to pass through. The jack-o'-lantern's fangs will become inward-curving skin tabs if the walls are made too thin. No one is scared by a jack-o-lantern.
You can try a 3D carving if you maintain thicker walls. Dramatic results can be achieved by shaping the pumpkin's surface as you carve a piece of wood, without breaking through the shell.
People carve pumpkins and then use bleach or water to wash them. Adding more free water to your masterpiece is a double-edged sword. It is possible to extend the shelf life of your squash by coating it with vegetable oil.
Every mold in the neighborhood will take up residence if the rain falls on your jack-o'-lantern. Pumpkins can be kept on a covered porch or displayed in a window.
It is ok if some mold forms inside it, as not all fungi cause soft rots. If a pumpkin becomes too moldy on the inside walls, it's a good idea to move it outside.
Don't throw your pumpkin in the garbage when it starts to fall. You can put it on your compost pile. If you find a spot in your yard where you can see it degrade over time, it will turn back to the soil in time for next year's pumpkin patch.
The conversation published this article. The original article is worth a read.
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