Orange pumpkins are pretty synonymous with autumn decorating, which makes sense: Because they're harvested in fall, they're readily available from your own garden or at farm and garden stores, grocery stores, farmers markets and roadside stands.
And when pumpkins are harvested, their bright colors, alongside falling leaves and dried cornstalks, make for the perfect fall decorating collab.
This fall, branch out from the traditional bright orange color palette, as pumpkins come in a variety of other colors and textures, like white and pink (think "Porcelain Princess") to warty and bumpy (try "Knucklehead")! And go for other kinds of squashes, too, like blue Hubbard and cheese squashes, gourds and more.
More: Get tickled pink (or blue and green) by pastel pumpkins when decorating for fall
When setting up autumn decorations, it seems obvious that we gravitate towards pumpkins to carve faces into because they've got more surface area. Plus, their size makes it easier to scoop out and place a candle for a jack-o'-lantern.
And though one leading theory going back to Ireland had us carving different fall vegetables, like turnips, potatoes and beets, those are tough to carve! So assuming pumpkins are your go-to, there are some tricks to make them last longer, especially if the weather is unusually warm.
Secrets to long-lasting jack-o'-lanterns
Once you cut them open and slice a design into them, pumpkins will last just a few days before beginning to show signs of decay. If they are on display for awhile, they tend to shrivel up and collapse inward.
If your goal is to have them lining a walkway for Halloween, for instance, cut the design into them just a handful of days before Oct. 31. Then, aim to keep them sturdy longer by preserving the pumpkin's structural integrity when carving: Cut into it from the back, rather than from the top.
Slice a circle in the back, then scrape out the insides as usual, and save the seeds for roasting later, if you like. Next, carve a fun face or design into the front. The pumpkin will last longer, because you've preserved most of its structure.
Take it a step further and keep the pumpkin hydrated by adding some petroleum jelly on the places where you've carved, then use a battery-powered tea light instead of a candle to illuminate it.
Get creative without carving
If you still want to decorate with pumpkins and squashes but would rather not carve, there are plenty of kid-friendly, non-pumpkin-innards ways to create jack-o'-lanterns!
Gather up art supplies like acrylic paint, glitter, stickers, yarn and pipe cleaners. Then head out to the yard to search for natural elements such as seed pods, dried flowers, leaves and cones.
More fall decor ideas from Vermont Public: Turn pumpkins into planters for fall decorations
Next, decide on a design — like a Labubu or Pokémon pumpkin, perhaps — and paint or glue onto the pumpkin surface with a glue gun.
Your pumpkin can even become a planter for fresh herbs and flowers. Remove the top (in this case, it's OK to remove the top and stem), and take out the seeds and most of the pumpkin flesh. Then add some potting soil, and plant your favorite herbs and flowers inside.
Things like thyme, oregano and pansies would work well. This pumpkin planter will work in a cool room indoors for a bit or keep outdoors until the weather gets too cold for the flowers and herbs. And watch for chipmunks, as they might help themselves to the delicious pumpkin!
New attempts at getting rid of jumping worms
Q: As near as I can tell, I introduced jumping works onto my property in 2016-2018 with annual loads of compost from a local farmer. The jumping worms are now overrunning all corners of my yard and negatively affecting the health of my plants. Pretty discouraging… I’ve tried the dry mustard approach. It’s a daunting task and doesn’t work in the drought conditions we’re now experiencing. I have a new theory to treat jumping works and would appreciate your opinion: Step #1: Forego all compost applications and leaf mulch for the foreseeable future. Step #2: Apply liberal amounts of dried cow manure to my garden beds. My theory is this may burn/discourage the worms and give my sad plants a boost at the same time. - Jacqueline, in Norwich
A: Asian jumping worms (also called snake worms or crazy worms) are invasives that pose a problem all over the Northeast and the Midwest.
These worms will gobble up any and all organic material in the soil. They can cause erosion and really degrade the soil.
Cow manure will also provide organic material, so spreading it may not work to deter the worms. Experiment in one small section to see if that makes a difference.
Currently, researchers in Wisconsin, at Cornell and Josef Görres at the University of Vermont are looking into different methods to control snake worms. They are doing experiments with biochar, diatomaceous earth and even with a fungus that seems to have some promise.
To prevent bringing jumping worms to your garden, follow this protocol when adding any new plants into your yard, whether it be from a nursery or from a friend: Wash off all the soil and put the soil into a black plastic bag. Leave the plastic bag of soil out on a driveway in the sun so it heats up above 105 degrees for three days. This process will kill the worm adults and any eggs, which can overwinter and cause a problem next year. Then, you can reuse the soil.
Deterring crows with sports talk
Q: Is the woman who wrote to you about deer eating her pears certain the problem is deer? We have two pear trees. Each year as the pears approach ripeness our local crows go after the fruit. They can strip a tree in a few days. Deterrence is difficult. We eventually had good results with leaving a radio playing sports talk under the trees, but eventually the crows figured the voices weren't dangerous. By then we were able to pick the pears. - Mill, in Hartland
A: This is a great idea to keep hungry crows from your pear crop! And the key is to not try to deter the birds (or other wildlife) too early, as they'll become accustomed to your method.
Try this deterrent just as the pears are starting to ripen. The radio sounds will scare them off long enough so you can harvest the pears before they get used to the noise and come back.
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