Keep a Halloween Pumpkin Fresh

Here's How:

1. Select pumpkins that are very fresh and firm. Avoid choosing a pumpkin that has bruised or soft areas or cuts or other visible blemishes.
2. Store both cut or uncut pumpkins in a cool dry place to keep them fresh longer. You may have a cool basement or room in the refrigerator.
3. Remember that warm weather and hot sunlight can speed decay in a pumpkin. If you live in a hot climate be sure to store your uncut pumpkins in a cool spot and wait to carve them until a day or two before Halloween.
4. Once a pumpkin is carved, cover it with plastic for a day or two to help keep moisture in the pumpkin.
5. Smaller cut pumpkins can be wrapped in plastic and stored inside the refrigerator for a few days before Halloween -- helpful if you are having a party and need to carve them ahead of time.
6. The Pumpkin Masters website advises that a shrivled cut pumpkin can sometimes be revived temporarily by soaking it in a bucket of cool water for several hours, then draining thoroughly.
7. Cover all cut edges of a pumpkin, as well as the entire interior, with petroleum jelly . This is the best way to reduce moisture loss and keep a pumpkin looking fresh longer.
8. Heat from electric lightbulbs and candles can also contribute to the early demise of a pumpkin. Try cutting a hole in the top of the pumpkin, allowing heat to escape.