5 Tips To Keep Pumpkins Healthy All Season
Don’t let deer, squirrels and other pesky pests ruin your holiday décor.
Picking a pumpkin for your home’s décor is an autumn rite of passage, but using new gourds to attract fruit flies surely isn’t. Why, then, does it seem those pesky black flies and other pests visit your front porch and feast on pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns every year?
Pumpkin is delicious, and it tastes great to more than just humans. Bugs, squirrels, deer and mice love the taste too, and they see your decorations as an easy food source. Shooing away these critters is a pain, so we’ve compiled a few tips to help you protect and preserve your pumpkins, so they last until Halloween and beyond.
Keep It Clean
After you’ve selected a pumpkin, give it a thorough cleaning whether you intend to display it, paint it or carve it. The pros at Goffle Brook Farms in Wyckoff recommend using a sanitizing wipe or a soft cloth with mild soap. “This helps to remove dirt and grime to give you a clean surface, and it also removes bacteria that might speed up the rotting process,” they say.
Spray It Down
If you’re concerned about animals taking a few bites out of your pumpkins, a well-styled and well-sprayed gourd should surely deter any creature. Before you put your pumpkin on the porch, coat it with hair spray—the taste is unpleasant to squirrels and rodents. Even better, apply Rust-Oleum clear spray paint to create a strong, long-lasting barrier against both rodents and rot.
Spice It Up
In addition to hair spray, a little seasoning can protect pumpkins as well. Sprinkle hot pepper flakes on the inside of your jack-o’-lantern as soon as you place it on your porch. While you might appreciate a spicy dish, squirrels will stay away from the heat.
Out Of The Elements
Flies are attracted to plants as they decay, and too much sun and rain will speed up that process. Place pumpkins in dry, shaded areas to keep them healthy. Keeping them away from water also will prevent mold from developing.
Choice Cuts
Carving a pumpkin also will lead to faster decay, so the longer you keep it intact, the longer it will last. Try making a jack-o’-lantern as close to Halloween as possible, so it has a better chance of making it through the holiday. And if you decide to carve, try cutting a hole in the back of the pumpkin instead of removing the stem. Keeping the stem connected will allow remaining nutrients to flow from the tip to the other parts of the pumpkin, slowing decay.
Carving a cool pumpkin this season? Share your fall photos with us @bergenmagnj.
