DATE:   10/5/00
WRITER: Dr. Tony Keinath, Clemson Extension plant pathologist, 
        (843) 766-3761
EDITOR: Giles Singleton, (864) 656-3876

Making pumpkins and jack-o'-lanterns last 
  
     CLEMSON -- Your preschooler picked a beautiful pumpkin - 
at least, beautiful to him or her - in the local pumpkin patch. 
Now what do you do with it until it's time to carve or decorate 
it? 
     When carrying pumpkins, do not pick up a fruit by the 
"handle."  Despite the common name for this part of the vine, 
it is not strong enough to support a 15 pound pumpkin.
     Look at the pumpkin carefully: it should have a deep 
orange color, which indicates that the fruit is mature and 
ripe. If the fruit is mottled orange and green, or if it has 
firm knobby overgrowths, the plant probably was infected with 
a mosaic virus. The pumpkin, with its unique natural coloring,
is safe to use.
     Be careful not to scratch or nick the rind, which is a 
natural barrier to decay. Molds or soft rot bacteria will 
attack the flesh through wounds to the rind. Check for signs 
of decay on the handle and around the base of it. If the end 
of the handle is becoming soft, trim it with a sharp knife.
     To help prevent rot, wipe the fruit with a sponge dipped 
in a solution of one-teaspoon chlorine bleach per quart of water. 
Allow the fruit to dry, but do not rinse it. 
     Next, "cure" the pumpkin by holding it at a temperature 
of 80 to 85 F, with a relative humidity of 80 to 85 percent 
for 10 days. These conditions can often be met outside, but 
if the weather is cool and rainy, bring the fruit inside and 
cure it in a warm spot. 
     After 10 days, the fruit should be stored in a cool 
(50 to 60 F) and dry (50 to 70 percent relative humidity) 
place. Keep the surface dry during storage. 
     Once you carve the jack-o-lantern, place it in the 
refrigerator during the day if outdoor temperatures will be 
above 60 F, and bring it out in the evening for display.
              ***********************************
     For Halloween safety, check out: http://virtual.clemson.
edu/groups/FieldOps/Cgs/hallow2.htm .
     If you have gardening questions or comments, write to 
PSA Media Relations, A-101 Poole Agricultural Center, 
Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29634-0129. Find other 
Buds and Blooms columns at http://www.clemson.edu/psamedia.
                             END