Want that pumpkin to last? 🎃 Don’t cut off the stem!

Isn’t that the first thing we do to clean it out though?

By Mike Kruz

October 27, 2025 at 5:16 pm EDT

Have you started slicing and dicing those pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns yet?

Here’s a trick to keep them from turning into a mushy, fly-covered science experiment: don’t cut off the stem!

Did you know that stem was the pumpkin’s lifeline on the vine, packed with nutrients that help keep your gourd fresher, longer? When you chop it off, you’re basically opening the door to rot and inviting every fruit fly in Florida to move in and throw a rave!

Instead, pumpkin pros say to cut your access hole in the bottom or the back. It keeps the stem intact, slows down rotting and helps your masterpiece stay Halloween-ready longer. Just gotta re-think getting the insides out.

Bottom line? This spooky season: don’t decapitate—go for the pumpkin butt! 😂 Happy haunting! 👻🎃

You can check out other carving tips and tricks ➡️ HERE.

Mike Kruz

I love music. It’s really what got me into radio to begin with. You should see my record collection: from Michael Jackson and Elton John, to Led Zeppelin and The Stones, to old school hip-hop and dance music ... (Well you get the idea!)