The Fall Pumpkin

The fall decorations and displays around Scotch Plains and Fanwood make the season feel so festive and cheery. I love seeing the mums, straw bales, scarecrows, and pumpkin displays!

Now is generally the time when folks begin to take their pumpkins and carve them for Halloween. Because I was curious to learn more about this tradition, I decided to look into exactly where the practice began.

The carving of the pumpkin goes way back to European traditions of carving vegetables (the most popular actually being the turnip) to make easy and inexpensive lanterns for every day use. It wasn't until 1833 when the carved and lit pumpkins began to be associated with Halloween, due to the vivid imaginations of various storytellers and writers who used the objects in their stories.

These days, there are many options for pumpkin decorating. If you decide to go the traditional route and carve, here are a few tips for you.

• Be sure to carve the lid just around the top of the pumpkin — do not make it too big or you will reduce the size of the space remaining for your jack-o-lantern face.
• Scrape and remove all of the innards. They will become rotten, smell bad, and attract insects if you are not thorough.
• Lightly draw your face before carving and then, look at the proportions before making that first cut. A drawing can be changed, but the cutting can not.
• After the pumpkin has been carved, thoroughly coat the inside and all of the cut out holes with petroleum jelly. This not only allows the pumpkin to retain its moisture and last longer, but also helps to deter insects.
• Last but not least, choose a sturdy, easy to light candle for illumination. If you are wary of the flame, department stores and craft shops should carry battery operated candles — a.k.a. flameless candles.

Of course, not all pumpkins need to be carved. Painting is just as attractive. By using the stem as the nose, applying hats, glasses, hair, and any other number of accessories - uncarved pumpkins can be made into works of art. And, because they are not carved, with cool weather, many will last until Thanksgiving.

For more information or to submit your own questions, feel free to email me at tracy@parkerplants.com.