For perhaps 50 years I've always started carving a pumpkin by cutting a hole around the stem sort of in the shape of a star fort, and then scooping out the pulp and seeds through that hole. That access hole has been a hindrance in the past when installing electric lights on the pumpkin, and this year I wanted a larger hole in order to have long carrots coming out of the head, so I tried a different approach.
Instead of cutting a hole around the stem, I decided to cut off the bottom of the pumpkin. The first benefit was that I had easy access to the inside and was able to clean it out in about five minutes. The second advantage is that it now has a flat bottom, so won't need to be propped up in a planter; the flat bottom should also make candle placement easier. The one disadvantage might be if wind blows the candle(s) out and I need to tip the pumpkin to relight them - but I think that would still be better than the old method of reaching down from the top with a match.
I'm curious as to whether anyone else has ever done this, and whether I will encounter any unfortunate surprises tomorrow when I finish the carving and set it out.
Maybe it will rot faster? Keep us posted, I am curious.
ReplyDeleteMy best jack-o-lantern trick is to spray the inside with WD-40 or another substance that will provide a fresh "skin" and inhibit microbial growth. I have noticed that they last weeks longer than untreated jack-o-lanterns.
ReplyDeleteI've done it that way several times and it works brilliantly! I learned it from Martha... it's pretty mainstream in the crafters' circles to go in from the bottom.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Domestically Challenged; I have great faith in Martha.
ReplyDeleteIt works very well. No singed fingers! Lifehacker also suggested a "hatchback" cut: http://lifehacker.com/5388791/carve-a-candle+friendly-pumpkin-hatch that looks pretty handy.
ReplyDeleteAlso, use battery-powered "candles" or battery-powered tea lights instead of a candle.
ReplyDeleteOr do as Martha would do -- wrap a strand of clear lights (like Christmas or other lights) around a jar, let the cord pass out the bottom or through a hole in the back, and plug in.
CCL
awesome idea, wonder about how long it will last. Seems like it wlll turn to mush pretty quickly. wonder how much protection the WD40 will provide.
ReplyDeleteWhere's the finished product picture??
ReplyDelete@Kwizgiver - I didn't feel the finished product was worth wasting bandwidth on. We used commercial tracings for a spider and a cat, and I copied the famous "pumpkin pi" off the web (you can Google image it).
ReplyDeleteI read something ten years or so ago that suggested doing it this way and I've never looked back. Among other things, it makes it much easier to light since you're putting the candle on a flat surface and putting the pumpkin over it instead of trying to balance the candle on the bottom of the pumpkin and then reach in to light it.
ReplyDeleteI have been cutting off the bottom forever, it gives the pumpkin a prettier finished look and no tipping!
ReplyDeleteAlso a flat base for the candle is also pretty nice too.