After two years of trying a certain method to preserve my porch pumpkins, I want to share with you what works for me. I’ve tried the same thing for two years in a row and for two years they have stayed looking good! This year, I purchased on September 22. I was ready to be done with them on November 1 and they looked as good as the day I bought them. Here is how to make your pumpkins last for weeks!
Where to Purchase Pumpkins
This past year, in 2023, I purchased all of my pumpkins from a local farm. In previous years, I grab them at Aldi, Trader Joes, Walmart, etc. My kids are older so we no longer head to the patch. Crazy how fast the time goes, cherish those memories! Now it’s just me at the farm grabbing all the fun things.
How to Wash Pumpkins
For the past two years, I have washed my pumpkins with a mixture of vinegar and water. Simply use an old rag or cloth to do this step. After washing, I let them dry out thoroughly in the garage.
Spray a Clear Coat
This is the second year I have sprayed my pumpkins with a clear coat of spray paint to help keep them looking good for weeks. I already had a can of gloss finish on hand, which is what I used. If you don’t want shiny pumpkins, grab a can of matte clear coat. Simply grab the pumpkin by the stem and spray the entire thing with clear coat, including the bottom. I let dry on old towels in my garage.
Decorate with Pumpkins Outside
After they are dry, decorate your porch! I like to add a bunch to my porch decor for the month of October. This method helps keep the pumpkins from molding from the water run off when I water my plants. We live in the Kansas City area, so we get a mixed bag when it comes to weather in October. My porch gets lots of sun and these continued to hold up well.
By November 1st, I am ready to take down all Halloween and have a clean slate. My pumpkins still looked like new on November 1st! I couldn’t believe it! This is the second year in a row they have stayed preserved using this method. Many people asked me about animals. We live in the suburbs and have the occasional squirrel or rabbit, but I’ve never had issues with this. I cannot attest if this helps keep animals from eating the pumpkins or not.
I hope this is helpful in learning how to preserve your pumpkins. After two years of trying this method, I can confirm that I will keep doing this year after year. XO
