Tips to preserve your pumpkins until Halloween, and how to dispose of them after
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Halloween is less than a week away, when kids trick or treat for sweets under the watchful gaze of freshly carved Jack O' Lanterns. But how can you keep your pumpkins looking fresh for the big day? And how should you dispose of them that's safe for the environment?
Here's some tips to preserve your pumpkins. First, make sure you carve all of the guts out of your pumpkin. This is the most moisture filled part, which can cause your pumpkin to get moldy.
Next, spray the outside with peppermint oil to deter pests. Also, spray the inside with a bleach/water solution to prevent bacteria from growing. To keep your pumpkin from completely drying out, rub Vaseline on the areas you carved out.
Lastly, do not use candles in your pumpkin as this will dry them out and speed up the decaying process. Use a battery powered light instead, some are made to look like candles with a flickering light.
After Halloween, when you are done with your pumpkins do not throw them in the trash! The lack of oxygen in the piles of trash causes pumpkins to release methane gas, which adds to climate change and is unsafe for the environment.
Instead, bury your pumpkin in your garden to improve soil health and promote plant growth. Or you can compost your pumpkins and save them for your spring garden, they are great fertilizer. RIP or recycle in peace pumpkins!