How to keep a carved pumpkin fresh for longer

A carved pumpkin typically lasts three to seven days, but careful preparation and storage can help it stay fresh for up to 10 to 14 days, ORF Vorarlberg reports.

Once cut, a pumpkin loses moisture and becomes more susceptible to decay. Warmth, direct sunlight and wet conditions speed up the process. Cool weather can help it stay attractive for several days.

Choose a firm pumpkin with an undamaged skin, avoiding soft spots, cracks and bruises. Keep your hands and tools clean, dry the pumpkin’s exterior and remove the seeds and soft, fibrous flesh without scraping the walls too thin. Blot moisture from the cut edges and let the pumpkin dry in a well-ventilated place.

Keep the carved pumpkin in a cool, dry, shaded spot, away from direct sunlight, heating, rain, standing water and frost. Check it daily. If it develops mould, a strong smell or soft, sunken patches, dispose of it in organic waste.

Rubbing a thin layer of petroleum jelly or cooking oil on the cut edges may slow drying. Hairspray is another option, but if using a real candle, let it dry completely and air the pumpkin thoroughly outdoors first because otherwise it could pose a fire risk. Real candles also heat the pumpkin and can make it shrivel sooner. Flameless LED candles are a safer alternative and help the pumpkin stay fresh.

Pumpkin carving is a popular autumn and Halloween tradition with roots in Irish and British folklore. In Ireland and Britain, people originally hollowed out large turnips and lit them with candles, calling them Jack O’Lanterns. Irish emigrants brought the custom to North America in the 19th century, where pumpkins proved easier to carve and offered more room for candles. The tradition later spread to Europe.