With temperatures getting colder throughout Virginia, extending the life of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns becomes more of a challenge.
“Pumpkins are very sensitive to temps below 45 degrees Fahrenheit,” said Virginia Cooperative Extension horticulture expert Ashley Edwards. “If your pumpkins are outdoors, take them inside if a hard frost is expected, as this will decrease their shelf life.”
Whole, uncarved pumpkins can last from one to six months, depending on the variety, if they are not exposed to harsh elements, Edwards said. Edwards is part of a team at Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension who is working on a project that is comparing pumpkin varieties and exploring options for extending shelf life post-harvest.
“When picking out the best pumpkins, one of the most important things you can do is to select pumpkins with healthy stems that don’t have bruises, nicks, or early signs of rot,” Edwards said.
Edwards suggests saving pumpkin seeds post-carving.
“If you are looking for creative ways to repurpose your pumpkins, you can save pumpkin seeds post-carving and roast them for a snack,” she said. “Pumpkin seeds can also be saved to use in your garden for next year. However, since the pumpkin might have been cross-pollinated, the resulting pumpkins from those saved seeds could be a variety of colors, shapes or sizes,” Edwards said.
To prevent waste, Edwards recommends composting your pumpkins.
“This year’s pumpkins can be incorporated into a compost pile or garden that can be used to help grow next year’s pumpkins,” she said.
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Crystal Graham
