Pumpkin carving is an age-old tradition that is perfect for everyone of all ages. Although, fun for everyone if you are ready to have your jack-o-lantern on the main stage and up in lights then these tips and tricks will have you carving like a pro in no time.
These 5 tips will help you choose your pumpkin, set you up to design with ease, and make the carving simple.
Let’s get started.
Tip # 1: Choosing a Pumpkin:
Stem: Since pumpkins naturally grow from their stems the stems help to balance some of the weight.
However, pumpkins without a stem have to be moved and handled directly by the body of the pumpkin. That handling prevents you from getting the freshest pumpkin on the market. In order to prevent this, you want to find a pumpkin with a green stem that is not brittle.
Also, when examining the stem you want to examine the thickness as well. The thickness of the stem generally correlates to the thickness of the interior walls of the pumpkin.
Remember those thick pumpkins are better for carving.
Body: This goes without saying but you want to try and find a pumpkin with a nice body.
You want to stay away from pumpkins that have marks or spots. Be sure to feel for any soft areas because if the pumpkin has any you want to avoid using that pumpkin for carving.
Shape: Sometimes the pumpkin with the funny shape can be the one that is best for you. If you have a template that you purchased you can bring it and lay it out on different pumpkins to see what they will look like once cut.
Don’t forget to avoid soft spots and blemishes even if they aren’t perfectly round.
Tip #2: When to Purchase Your Pumpkin
According to NPR a pumpkin in good condition when it was picked from the vine “can last anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks”.
This means that you can buy your pumpkins ahead of time to have them on hand for when you are ready.
However, you will want to hold off on carving your jack-o-lantern for as long as possible. If you have an event that you want to carve some pumpkins for and it is far from Halloween you may want to stock up on a couple of pumpkins because once cut most pumpkins only last about “five to 10 days”.
And that timing usually only applies if they are stored at cool temperatures of about 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If it gets too cold that can ruin the pumpkin as well, so you want to be sure to monitor the temperature closely.
To avoid having to monitor your jack-o-lantern it is suggested that you wait until 24 hours prior to the occasion to cut them. If you have several and don’t have the time to do it the day before then no more than 3 days prior is your best option.
Remember every pumpkin is different.
You can carve 3 pumpkins on the same exact day and they will decompose at 3 different rates. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Tip #3 Cleaning Your Pumpkin Out
How you start cutting your pumpkin lays the groundwork for how easy it will be overall. Taking the right steps in the beginning will make carving a breeze.
First, you will want to leave the top on your jack-o-lantern.
Instead, you will want to cut a hole in the back of the pumpkin. Doing this helps keep your pumpkin solid and allows it to stay attached to the stem/vine which provides the moisture.
*Avoid cutting the bottom of your pumpkin because that makes a huge mess.*
Once you have your hole cut you will want to clean out the entire pumpkin. Not only do you want to get the seeds and initial gunk, but you even want to scrape the walls down to a thin layer using a spoon or ice cream scooper.
This avoids mold being able to travel easily through the pumpkin from moisture.
Tip #4 Designing Your Jack-O-Lantern
Unless you are feeling extremely confident in your artistic skills your best friend will be a pumpkin carving kit. You can find them for as low as $6.
Each kit includes different items, but some also have patterns/templates you can use. Although, I am a fan of creating my own design instead.
You can actually sketch out a design on a sheet of paper after measuring it on your pumpkin.
No matter which route you take you want to “design” your pumpkin before you put the cutting tool into the pumpkin indefinitely. You can make indents on the pumpkin with a pencil to see where your design will line up and how you will like it.
Once you are satisfied with the placement of the pattern you will want to tape it directly to the pumpkin and begin to cut.
Start in the center of the design and move your cutting tool in an up and down motion as you cut. This motion helps you push the pieces out of the pumpkin smoother.
As you carve push out the pieces from the inside of the pumpkin. If you have been cutting properly they will push out smooth and clean which makes the process easy for you.
Tip #5 Storing Your Jack-o-Lantern
Once cut there is no going back on the lifespan of your pumpkin. At this point, you are working to add a couple of days to the overall longevity of your work.
After your event, you will want to take some plastic wrap and tightly wrap the entire jack-o-lantern.
If you live somewhere that at night the temperatures are fairly low you can leave it on a patio, in a garage, or even next to an open window.
However, if you are like me and live in Texas where the seasons are Spring, Summer, Summer the Prequel, and Summer the Sequel your best bet is to place your pumpkin in the fridge.
This technique is only meant to add extra days so if you are trying to add a week or more to the lifespan you may be disappointed.
Carving Time…
Now that you have learned all the tips and tricks to become a pumpkin carving pro there are only 3 things left to do.
1. Pick a pumpkin. 2. Choose a design. 3. Get to carving.
There is no better way to improve your skills than to try. Plus as one of my favorite family traditions, it’s not about being perfect rather than the fun we have making our pumpkins.
You and your little ones can make the holiday so much better by making your own jack-o-lanterns. They get to practice fine motor skills, creativity, and learn all the ins and outs of a pumpkin as they go.
And for more pumpkin-themed learning be sure to check out these amazing resources…
Pumpkin Printable Pack– This 50-page game-changing unit study offers you a no-prep option for multiple lessons. One of my favorite parts of this pack is the pumpkin life-cycle mini-book perfect for future pumpkin carvers.
Pumpkin Carving Worksheet– This free pumpkin carving worksheet is a wonderful walk through of how to carve a pumpkin for young learners. You can have them practice all the steps and then let them carve in real life using what they learned in a practical setting. It is a subscriber freebie, so you do have to be a Budding Mama VIP.
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Last Updated on August 24, 2022 by Kierra
Informative article on how to start carving. I will sure try it in my free time.
I love it. We carved pumpkins on two separate occasions this year lol.
This is good stuff! I’ve never thought about the actual process that goes into carving a pumpkin. It’s definitely important to pick your pumpkin and do so at the right time! Thanks for all the helpful info! 🙂
Yes. It is a lot of fun, but there is definitely some strategy behind choosing the right pumpkin.