Whether you require to make your Halloween jack - o - lantern last until October 31 or you ’re concerned in finding out how to help your Proto-Indo European pumpkins last longer in depot , this mail service will serve the question , “ how long does a pumpkin last ? ”
I ’ll also cater you with some tips on how to help your pumpkins last longer so you may enjoy them all twelvemonth - orotund .
allow ’s get started !
How Long Does a Pumpkin Last on Average?
Pumpkins tend to get the most attending right around October , but if you grow them for solid food you might be wonder how long they ’ll last after Halloween has passed , too .
They last around 8 - 12 weeks depending on the health of the pumpkin when it was find fault , the variety , and whether diseases were controlled in the field .
Of naturally , that ’s for those that were reap whole and unblemished . That timeline also does n’t take jack - o - lantern or other carved pumpkins into consideration . These usually last around 5 - 10 daylight , if you ’re lucky .
Factors That Affect a Pumpkin’s Longevity
Keeping the timeline mentioned above in mind , there are a few factors that can affect the longevity of a pumpkin . I ’ll detail them below .
1. Type
Not all Cucurbita pepo are alike ! Did you know that there are more than 200 varieties of Halloween - character pumpkins – and even moresquash varietiesout there that are commonly considered pumpkin ?
Choose old - fashioned cooking pumpkins for the ripe final result . Some of these last 6 - 12 months in storage .
salutary varieties ( list from longest store life to shortest ) include :
There are countless others out there , too , so do some research to discover a variety that will not only stack away well but will grow well in your unique growing conditions .
2. Weather Conditions
Whole , uncarved pumpkins can last up to 3 months in cool , dry conditions . Most are harvested in late September to former October .
seek to bring yours indoors before out-of-door overnight temperatures dip below 40 ° F . When weather conditions are inhuman and squiffy , your pumpkins wo n’t last quite as long .
That said , excess heating plant does n’t do them any favors , either .
3. Carved, Painted, vs Untouched
If you choose to carve your pumpkins , do so within about a week of Halloween night ( or whenever you want your pumpkin vine to expect good on display ) . If the weather ’s move to be exceptionally hot , though , you may have to wait until a daytime or so before Halloween to cut up it .
The good news show ? rouge does n’t touch on the storage life of a Cucurbita pepo ( though it might prevent you from keep it in warehousing later on – who require to eat up paint ? ) .
4. Curing
bring around – the process of indurate up the tough exterior tegument of your Cucurbita pepo – can also assist it last longer . I ’ll give you more lead on how to go about this later on on in the clause !
5. Storage Areas
The idealistic storage temperature for a pumpkin is around 50 - 55 ° F . That ’s typical autumn atmospheric condition for most citizenry . The good news ? That means you could keep your pumpkin outdoors on the porch for a while even if you be after on deplete it later on . Just do n’t curve into it first .
Just ensure you get it inside before Thanksgiving rolls around . A wakeful icing can cause it to become discolored , but a bass freeze damages flora cells enough to cause it to rot .
Over the winter , keep your pumpkin vine in temperatures between 50 - 55 ° degree Fahrenheit . Put them on dry wooden slats or in crates to keep them off the floor . Keep them stored away from yield like apples and pears . These yield free ethene gas that can cause premature rotting .
Now , you may always freeze your pumpkin if you ’d like . This can serve it last a act longer in storage . However , you should n’t freeze it whole . Instead , just freeze the pulp .
Check your repositing pumpkins often to seem for signs of moulder , mold , and mildew ( as well as pests ) . Remove those that have deteriorate to protect the ones that remain in store .
Tips to Make a Pumpkin Last Longer
Here are a few tips you may attempt to make your pumpkins last a bite longer in storage .
1. Choose the Right One
One of the best tip to accompany when trying to get your pumpkin to last longer is to choose the right one .
Look for one that is as healthy and unmutilated as possible . If you may , find oneself one with a firm fore still bond . Once that stem fare off , decomposition organisms can get inside and will begin to weaken it .
Do n’t carry it around by its fore , no matter how sturdy it might be . behave it by the pedestal to foreclose the stem from break off .
2. How to Preserve Carved Pumpkins
There are sealed remedies you may strain to extend the life of your carve Cucurbita pepo . For example , you may habituate an fungicidal or antibacterial cleaning solution to facilitate slow down decay . Even simple treatments like Vaseline , floor wax , and automotive lubricant ( those that moderate rock oil ) can serve keep your Cucurbita pepo sizable .
Bleach and WD-40 work , too .
Another tip for keeping your carved Cucurbita pepo a bit longer ? Bring it inside and put it in the icebox overnight ! It can be a flake of a chore , but giving your carve pumpkin a cold shoulder like this can help oneself it last much longer .
3. Wash Well
I would n’t urge this answer if your ultimate destination is to use up the pumpkin , but if you just plan on using it for ribbon , you could wash away them to dispatch bacterium and fungus kingdom .
It is fungus kingdom , in particular , that make pumpkins rot untimely . Therefore , by washing the pumpkin with a resolution of water and bleach , you could draw out its ledge life importantly .
Put it in a large container with 1 part bleach to 10 part water . Stir it around ( it will swim ) to check that all sides get covered .
4. Keep Them in the Dark
Light can make your pumpkin vine to rot prematurely , too . Store your pumpkins in a root wine cellar or another storage spot that does n’t receive a lot of born or artificial lightness .
5. Cure the Pumpkin
Sometimes , you may not have to cure your pumpkin at all . If you have a lovesome autumn season the stunned rind will temper on the vine . If that ’s the case , just impart them indoors when you ’re ready to glean them .
In other years , you ’ll call for to bring around it to avail it produce this baffling skin for storage . To do this , you ’ll keep it at elbow room temperature for a few weeks ( 10 - 20 days ) , proceed condition dry and warm ( around 80 - 85 ° ) .
During this physical process , there should be good air circulation and minimum wetness . You ’ll have it away the pumpkin has been properly bring around if your fingernail does n’t dent or deflate it when you practice pressure .
After being cure , you could use or put in the pumpkin as you unremarkably would . Cured pumpkin last much longer in storage than those that are not cure .
6. Check the Storage Temperature and Humidity
Again , keep your autumn pumpkin at around 50 - 60 ° F and with a comparative humidness of 60 % .
These conditions are pretty easy to attain in most house , even if you ’re just stack away them in your basement ( and not in a location like a root cellar ) .
Enjoy Pumpkins Year Round
There are all sorts of things you could do to prolong the life of your pumpkins . These tips should help .
Of naturally , storing Cucurbita pepo by rights starts with prefer the good varieties to grow – andknowing how to grow them !
Give it a effort for yourself this year – and do n’t be afraid to go big or “ gourd ” home !
Was this article helpful?
What went wrong?
This clause carry incorrect info
This article does not have the selective information I am look for
How can we improve it?
We appreciate your helpful feedback!
Your answer will be used to amend our cognitive content . The more feedback you give us , the better our pages can be .
