[Pumpkinfreak]

On a side note, any recommendations for preserving the pumpkin? My Rick Grimes pumpkin lasted about a week and it started rotting.
Thanks!

Looks great, I can't tell you how many pumpkins I messed up on my first carves
But you didn't mess this one up man, it's still awesome!

Concerning you question, covering the cut edges with vaseline always is a good idea if you want to keep it for a long time, it seals off so germs can't get in and it also adds moisture (or keeps moisture in) the pumpkin, keeping it good a little longer.
The same with coating the carving edges with white glue (seals of so germs can't get in and moisture cant' get out), and nail polish top coating.
Another option is to use bleach, you can submerge your carved pumpkin in a bleach solution for a couple of hours, and then spray it on the inside and cut edges each day, the water gives it moisture and the bleach kills the germs that cause rotting.
Also, what I do when my pumpkins are starting to let the life flow out of them, I submerge them in a bucket of ice water (or in a bathtub) it helps bring them back to life for a short period of time.

[bigtay10]

Thanks Pumpkinfreak! I tried the Vaseline idea this time and will give the submerging in water a try as well. Thanks!

[SuperSonic]

Nice carves man!

Unfortunately, there is no exact method to preserving pumpkins once they are on the spiral downwards to the rotting stage.

However. I do have a few tips for you to (hopefully) prevent that from happening in the near future!

1. When choosing pumpkins, a strong (and green) stem is a positive sign (mostly) that the pumpkin will last for a while uncarved. Keep that in mind.
2. After carving. There is a few options you have:

• - Coat the edges with Vaseline (or any type of petroleum jelly) to seal in the moisture. This does help the pattern from rotting quickly. However if your problem is inside the pumpkin
  - Your only option is to cut out thee rot, or let it take it's natural course
  
  - The one I choose to do (which is essentially holding a sword with two blades) Is soaking the pumpkin in any sort of tub, Rubber Maid container, etc. for about an hour. Since pumpkins are mostly made of water, naturally it's what they want. However. It is important to note that the more moisture it takes in, the faster it (may) rot.

Though. My best advice? If you're trying to save them for Halloween, carve them as close to the day as possible! Then try these techniques. The longer a pumpkin goes un carved the better. Since I carve 30, I start on the 26th and work my way towards Halloween (at about 5 kins or more a day).

Hope these tips help!

[Jaythecaver]

Great first carve! keep doing great work!

[bigtay10]

Thanks all. I've really enjoyed seeing everyone's carves. They are amazing! Here's another I did this weekend... Also any tips for doing two on one pumpkin? Is it doable? Advisable? Thanks

[Raven]

Carol looks great! A lot of people do 2 on one pumpkin. I've done it before. Depending on the size of your 'kin you may have to reduce the size of the patterns, or maybe even enlarge them. This is the last one I did with 2 for one. I didn't reduce the patterns any, but did angle one slightly above the other not only to fit together but so that they were not too far apart around the 'kin. I carved one pattern and then the other the same as any other carve.



You can also do a pattern on the front, and one on the back, but it does make your 'kin a lot more fragile and you can see the pattern cut outs on the back through whichever one you are looking at on the front. Not a big deal, really, but can distract from the design.

[shaft28]

Great carves!