If there’s one thing every home in the tri-state area chooses to decorate their homes with in the fall, it’s pumpkins. You take the kids to go pick out the best ones in the patch, carve them up into scary and funny faces, and display them on your porch for all to see.

But after a while, those pumpkins can start to rot and look a mess. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to keep your pumpkins fresh this fall and help them last longer.

Keeping Your Pumpkins Fresh for Fall

Pick a Firm Pumpkin

When you first head down to the pumpkin patch, make sure you pick a bright, firm pumpkin. These are the freshest and have the best chance of standing the test of time.

Wait to CarveThem

If you plan to carve spooky or silly faces into the pumpkins, wait until it gets closer to Halloween to do so. Even the freshest pumpkin will start to decay once it’s cut open and it’s inner contents, so the longer you wait to carve it up, the better.

Cut from the Bottom

Rather than carving out a hole in the top of your pumpkin, carve one out in the bottom. This way, when you put a candle in, less moisture with collect at the bottom of the pumpkin, allowing it to last longer.

Treat Them with Preservatives

We’re not talking about some of the stuff that’s in food. Take a mixture that is made of one tablespoon of bleach per quart of water and spray it onto your carved pumpkin to kill any rot-causing bacteria. You could also spray it with peppermint oil instead and apply petroleum jelly around any cut edges to prevent rotting.

While preserving your pumpkins is great for the fall, one of the most important aspects of your home to preserve year-round is your roof. For all your roof installations and repairs, trust the experts at JM Roofing & Siding. Call us today for your free estimate!