Pumpkin Centerpieces

natashat31

 
I am getting married next October. I would like to use REAL pumpkins for my centerpieces. How should we preserve them after they are cleaned out? Does anyone have any ideas or experience with this?

janicejab

First of all, find a small plastic container to put the arrangements in (plastic deli containers work well). Cut the opening to the pumpkin a little bit smaller than the rim of your plastic container. Clean out the pumpkins and test the plastic container to be sure they fit in the pumpkin properly.  Keep the pumpkins in a cool, dark place (a basement, garage or outside out of direct sunlight works well). You can clean the pumpkins out a few days ahead of time. Do NOT use pie pumpkins. They are usually smaller and better shaped, but they rot much quicker. Do your arrangements in the plastic containers the day before. You can use oasis ( a greem foam designed to hold water) in the arrangements to help hold the flowers in place. When designing your arrangements, do your greenery first, then add flowers and be sure to turn the arrangement as you design it so it doesn't end up lopsided. Put your arrangement inside a cleaned out pumpkin to see how it looks and adjust as necessary. HTH!

natashat31

Will the pumpkins attract bugs?

suz62984

I would think the cool dark basement would attract bugs. I would probably clean out the pumpkins and then store them in a freezer for 24 hours. That will keep them from rotting, it will keep bugs away, and it will kill any fruit fly eggs that are already on or in the pumpkin. With the freezing preventing the rotting I would think you could use smaller pie pumpkins if you wanted. I would however, wait to purchase and clean them just 1-2 before the wedding though.

naomikb

Suz - have you frozen a pumpkin before?  I haven't and have no idea how it would turn out but I have this gut feeling it might turn mushy when thawed, which has happened when I've frozen other vegetables.  If no one has done this it is worth trying on one pumpkin before doing it to all your centerpieces.

I've also seen white pumpkins used as decor and centerpieces at a wedding, that might be a neat option with orange or fall-coloured flowers in them, or use a mix of white and orange pumpkins.


They don't all have to be carved either, you can leave them as they are in neat little piles or fill up glass vases with them, then you don't have to worry about them rotting.

hwoychowski

Whatever you decide to go with I woudl definately do a test run a few weeks before so you can alter plans as necessary!!!

LnDUBS

Just an FYI carved pumpkins do put off an odor. Not such an issue when there are only a few around, but fill a room with about 20 or so carved pumpkins and you will have one stinky room. Just something to think about!