How to Keep a Carved Pumpkin from Molding Before Halloween

Now that you've put all that work into carving the perfect Jack o' Lantern, how do you keep your carved pumpkin from molding before Halloween? Here are a few tips and tricks to preserving a carved pumpkin. Best of all, these Halloween pumpkin preservation tips are budget friendly.

Keep your carved pumpkin from growing mold by carving close to Halloween

Carving your pumpkin too early will raise the chances that it won't live to see the holiday. Having lived in the north and now the south, I can attest that the longevity of a carved pumpkin can be partially attributed to temperature. In the north, we could carve our pumpkins a bit earlier and not risk seeing mold growing through a pumpkin's scary, tooth filled grin. However, once we moved to Virginia where October temperatures were higher during the day than up north, we soon realized that our pumpkins were in peril due to the heat.

If you must carve days in advance of Halloween, try to keep your carved pumpkin out of the sun and store it in a cool place. Even wrapping your carved jack o' lantern in plastic and keeping it in the fridge can extend its life.

Preserve your jack o' lantern with a bit of petroleum jelly

Vaseline or any other generic petroleum jelly could be just the thing to keep your carved pumpkin from molding before Halloween. HGTV .com suggests that pumpkin artists coat the inside and other exposed carved surfaces of their jack o' lanterns with petroleum jelly to prevent mold and, especially in some climates, to prevent dehydration. Protecting your pumpkin with Vaseline or petroleum jelly is inexpensive since a large jar of petroleum jelly can be purchased at Dollar General for $1.75 there is none on hand in your household. Seal in your Halloween pumpkin's natural moisture by applying a liberal coat of petroleum jelly on the inside of your carved jack o' lantern, as well as any exposed surfaces.

Use a weak bleach solution to keep your pumpkin from growing mold

Another inexpensive way to keep your pumpkin fresh is to use a bleach solution to keep mold at bay. Using a spray bottle, pour in a small amount of bleach and fill the rest of the bottle up with water. Be sure to label the spray bottle and keep it out of reach of children. Spraying your carved pumpkins on a daily basis with a weak bleach solution will help to kill mold and keep your pumpkin fresh until Halloween. Bleach is inexpensive and is generally on hand in most households. A spray bottle can be purchased for about $1 at many dollar stores.

Sources:
Personal experience
http://www.hgtv.com/holidays-occasions/pumpkin-carving-tips-and-tools/index.html