A Little Bit About a Lot of Things

If you are anything like me, you like to get out there and pick out your pumpkin stacks early – but you want to make those pumpkin stacks last all season because man, can they be expensive.

First, when you are picking out pumpkins, rotate to see if they will stack the way you want them to. Second, look and make sure that there are no soft spots or punctures in the skin.

I like to use this Rust-oleum clear coat, top coat. I put the pumpkins on some cardboard and give them a good even coating, stem and all, letting them dry completely between coats. Two or three coats usually does the trick, and they last all season long. It gives them a glossy finish, you can use a matte finish top coat if that is more your style. It protects your pumpkins and manages to keep the pests away as well (although some people swear by the hot chili oil for a more environmentally friendly route). Another option to keep those pumpkins from rotting is making sure that they are not sitting directly on the ground. Some people choose to put them up on grape leaf wreaths, but I find that that can get costly if you have a lot of pumpkins. How do you keep your pumpkins fresh and looking good all season long?

Tags: crafts, fall, kids