Nothing says fall more than multi-color pumpkins lining the edges of porches and harvest decorations. Pumpkins are a staple of fall decor, celebrations, carving and jack o lanterns. But how do you keep pumpkins looking their best from early fall until it's time to chuck them? Here are some of our best tips to keeping perfect pumpkins throughout the fall season.

pumpkins
Photo credit: iStock/AlexRaths

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pumpkin
Photo credit: Brian McCord

Wash your pumpkins

When you bring your pumpkins home, give them a quick wash with 10 parts warm water and one part bleach. This removes any remaining soil and debris from the field and seals it up for preservation.

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North Carolina Field & Family Spring 2026
Flip through the pages of the Spring 2026 edition of North Carolina Field and Family magazine. In this issue, impress your guests with creative yet easy spring holiday recipes, learn how farmers face challenges planning the future of their farmland, meet some North Carolina beef producers raising the steaks, start your engines with eight reasons to visit Richmond County, get crabby with Sheri Castle’s Deviled Crab recipe and much more.

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