[halloweengirl]

Im not sure If this is the right place for this topic.I apologize ahead of time If its in the wrong spot.But I was wodering how long an uncarved pumpkin can usually last.Our local pumpkin farm opens for picking and hayrides this sunday.Since we will have family in town this weekend,I thought this would be a fun activity.But I would hate to buy them now and have them go bad before its time to carve them for halloween.Is it to early to get them?

 

[Frighteners Entertainment]

I think you're ok, kept cool but not frozen.

 

[Rocky]

^ Exactly. It's not too early but store them in a cool place.

 

[halloweengirl]

Is inside the house cool enough or would I have to refrigerate them? I keep the temp in the house usually about 68 degrees.

 

[ScareFX]

I usually buy them when I first see them just so I get the good ones.

I keep them in the house or garage (out of the direct sun). I've only had one go bad in the past four or five years. I think that was because the stem was still real green and some insect critter bored into it which allowed the decomposition process to start.

Bottom line...pumpkins keep well. Uncarved and in your house should be fine, I would think.

 

[otherworldly]

Guess I should pick mine...tuck them away someplace out of the sun.

 

[scareme]

I guess it depends on where you live. I've had several go bad. But it is still in the 80's. I usally wait til closer to the end of Oct. The selection isn't as good but I hate to spend money only to throw it out two weeks later.

 

[KryptKittie69]

I always end up carving my pumpkins too early and by Halloween they look like this!!!

 

[THeme ssaGE]

oh wow thats funny.

 

[DeadSpider]

you can carve them early, well not TOO early, and submerse them in a rubbermaid bin or something, with a half cap of bleach added to keep bacteria from forming, and store someplace cool.

Thats what we do, starting a week prior to using, as we are just too dang busy to carve pumpkins on halloween or the night before.

Always buy pumpkins with strong green stems.

 

[grapegrl]

I always end up carving my pumpkins too early and by Halloween they look like this!!!

That animation strikes me as particularly hilarious this afternoon for some reason! :jol:

BTW, halloweengirl, I usually start buying my pumpkins right around the first of October and even here in Florida where it's still hot and muggy off and on during October, they are fine as long as I don't put them where they will be right out in the sun. You've gotten some good advice so far...pick a good pumpkin to start with and keep it somewhere cool.

 

[KryptKittie69]

Glad you liked it! It's from a website that I use all the time.
Any image you need, they probably have it.
We use it at work all the time to add some spice to boring emails.

http://www.fotosearch.com/video-footage/pumpkins.html

 

[KryptKittie69]

oooooh creeeepy!

 

[halloweengirl]

Thanks everyone...Pumpkin picking we shall go

 

[HibLaGrande]

got two today.

 

[NickG]

we went on a pumpkin hunt today... disappointing results.

first we went to a very large farm-owned pumpkin patch and they had ~18" pumpkins for $8, ~12" pumpkins for $5 and smaller ones for $3-$1. I didn't have enough cash to get many of the "large" ones and I wasn't impressed with what they had...then we went to a local supermarket who had ~12" ones for $5. not very impressive... walmart was about the same thing, $4 I think. local farm stand had some for a bit more than everyone else, and they were smaller. I tried the farm/feed store but they didn't have any. Tried a local small pumpkin patch and they were closed but it looks like all they had were "medium ones"

So... looks like we'll pick up some from walmart or something. I might hunt around a bit more... but it doesn't look like I can get any really big ones without driving an hour away to clarksville. at my parents house we used to be able to get ~24" ones pretty much everywhere, but that's 1200 miles away.

 

[Black Cat]

Another rough year for pumpkins in NJ. Stopped at a couple of our local garden centers and all the pumpkins are only about 6-8 inches. A few of the larger ones where all miss shapen. I did pick up a 14 inch one at the A&P for $3.99. The problem with the grocery store pumpkins is they are usually cheaper but have no stems. Still need to find a few more bigger ones for the haunt this year. My Dad grew pumpkins this year by mistake and all his are on the smaller size except for one which is still green and on the vine yet.

 

[dragon flame]

I could look at a farm near my house in new jersey and tell you if they have any good ones.

 

[NickG]

wife came home from the local grocery store with 4 nice sized pumpkins for 3.99 each... they had just gotten in a new batch. I went back and got 6 more. I was there about 30min... took almost every one of them out of the pallet box and picked my favorites.*score*

 

[scareme]

Black cat-how did your dad grow pumpkins by mistake?