Heyyyyy how is everyone doing?
We are decorating for Fall here in the Drawhorn House and one of our favorite things to use will our Fall décor is real Pumpkins & Gourds but here in Alabama temperatures can reach well into the 90s during the Fall making it hard for real Pumpkins to last very long and let’s be honest if I am going to spend good money on buying real Pumpkins I want them to last longer than a few weeks, I am sure you would agree, so here is a hack we have learned over the years for keeping Pumpkins & Gourds looking fresh longer.
We have learned that when buying real Pumpkins for decorating the freshest Pumpkins are locally grown Pumpkins so when buying our Pumpkins and Gourds we either find country roadside stands (who doesn’t enjoy a drive through the country in the Fall) or visit our local nursery and purchase from them.
Once you have your Pumpkins at home you are going to what to rise them off with cool water removing any dirt that may be still on them, you see what makes Pumpkins & Gourds rot in the first place is the dirt, mold, and any fungus they may have picked up from the fields where they are grown and the Alabama heat doesn’t help either so in order to preserve them a little longer we must clean them first.
After rising the Pumpkins & Gourds off I prepare a bleach bath from them. I mix 4 tablespoons of bleach to 1 gallon of water and let the pumpkins soak for 20 minutes in my sink. (For large Pumpkins I use the bath tub) Handsome Hubby calls this the Pumpkin Hot Tub Party…..lol he is so crazy!!! Now keep in mind pumpkins float so you need to make sure you flip them at the ten-minute mark so both sides get a good soak.
**Handsome Hubby Tip: If you don’t want to use bleach you can use Borax & Tea Tree Oil
After their Pumpkin & Gourd bath I rise them off and lay them out to air dry on a towel. They must be completely dry before you can start displaying them.
This last step is optional but it does make the Pumpkins & Gourds last longer. I take the completely dry Pumpkins & Gourds outside and clear coat them with Polycrylic making sure to get the bottoms as well. Polycrylic gives them a protective coat helping to keep dirt, fungus, and mold off the pumpkins.
Once the clear coat has completely dried the Pumpkins & Gourds are ready for displaying and will last a few weeks longer than normal making your home scream Hello Fall!!
Till next time stay safe, be blessed and have fun creating!!
XOXO
Kristin & Lantz
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