Yo! What is the deal with pumkins, when they are rotting away, in a few days after you cut them out? Thourght I ask some people from the US, since Hallowen is a new thing here i skandinavia. Is there a trick, soo that they won't root? Everybody got rotten pumkins, here, with flies, kind of nasty!
supposedly bleach on the inside, and some vaseline around the edges of the cutouts. I was too lazy to try it this year though..
Make sure you're thorough with scraping out the guts. Don't leave anything behind for the insects/slugs.
Mine are usually fine for 1 week but that depends on weather. It's been going from 70's to 40's here in Chicago with rain too so mine, after 3 days, is rotting fast. If it's not too rainy or if the weather is steady they've always been fine for me.
Here in the US there's a distinction made between "carving pumpkins," being a type bred for longevity that are very fibrous, and those considered "edible" (such as "sugar pumpkins.") Carving pumpkins will last longer when carved, "edible" pumpkins will deteriorate more quickly (although they're superior for cooking.) Although I wouldn't know, it sound like you might have carved a type of pumpkin that wasn't bred for Halloween carving.
Pretty insane pumpkin carving. Love the Predator one especially. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39421834#.TqwaYGAW8cg
