Tricks to keep your jack-o-lantern around through Halloween

The cooler temperatures that we have in the forecast are actually good for pumpkins. You do not want them to be in the heat or they will rot quicker. However, there are some other tips to follow to help your pumpkins last through this fall; rain, frost, snowflakes and all.

The tip I have found most important is to sanitize your pumpkin with bleach to kill all bacteria. This is the best way to keep your pumpkin around longer. Do this right after you carve your pumpkins.

To do it, rinse out your pumpkin to get rid of all of the excess strings and seeds. Then fill a bucket with water and pour in 1 teaspoon of bleach for each gallon of water. Submerge your pumpkin for two minutes. It could be good to wear gloves. Let the pumpkin dry, and place it outside!

Placement is important. You want to put your pumpkin somewhere where there is not too much direct sunlight. Place it off of the ground so that water cannot pool around its base. Moisture will cause rotting quickly, but there are some topicals that will help keep moisture out. Vaseline works to seal in and keep out moisture, so you should rub in on the interior of the pumpkin and the cut outs that you carved. WD-40 is said to work too if you spray it on the outside and inside. It is water repellent and freeze resistant.

If there is going to be a hard freeze though, the best option would probably be to bring your pumpkin into the garage or inside for the night. If the pumpkin freezes, it will then thaw the next day but this can lead to rotting.

It's also good to spray your pumpkin with a bleach solution every few days or so, this will keep bacteria from eating away at your pumpkin.

This is not original content. These tips can be found on the internet. More information on how to bleach your pumpkin can be found here.