Pumpkins are back - Fall 2016

I feel the color of the month for October should be orange. The leaves turned orange, the apples have golden orange hues and on top of all the PUMPKINS. The centre of fall décor also has colors that go well with orange. Today I am going to share few ideas of decor that you can create using pumpkins. 

Not all the houses have the kind of color theme or enough space which enhances the charisma of pumpkin, so I tried to pair up the ORANGE PUMPKINS with different other items that would glam up the festive décor.

Wall that do not spell FALL

If you have kind of wall color that do not compliment the orange color of the pumpkin then use some props to create a abyss between your pumpkins and wall. Use big black colors plant pots and put pumpkin on it or by the side of it. The pot and nude black color will drag the attention from the wall.

FALL in the Hall

Use pumpkins combos with various decorative items. For example use small pumpkins in flower vase, use them as paper weight, put them around candle holders and create the center pieces for dining table or coffee table.

Pumpkin Porch

So you have an awesome porch and searching for decorating ideas using pumpkins. I say go for combos this year. Add pumpkins, gourds, squashes and create beautiful festive porch. Adding autumn leaves will boost the spirit.

Pumpkin Patch

For a lovely fall scene in your garden, why don’t you create your own pumpkin patch? Well thinking about growing pumpkin won’t help this year but you can create a patch by using freshly picked or artificial pumpkins in the garden. (Leave a comment, if you want me to do a post on how to use pumpkins after you done decorating with them.)

Now we have many ideas on how to use pumpkins to decorate for fall but how to prolong the life of decorative pumpkins. When you have pumpkins inside your house then you do have a full control on them. You can tell if they are still fresh or not. People don’t come and vandalized them but if you have decorated surrounding of your house then you must know how to protect them.

Decorating for the season is exciting whether you grow your own or purchase pumpkins, gourds and squash at market. These are some preservation steps to make your autumn ornaments last longer.

Harvest the best

Well-developed fruit and dead vines are good indicators. Hasty harvest leaves scratches on the pumpkin which causes them to rot prematurely.

Buy or cut the pumpkins and gourds with 3 to 4-inch stems. If your fruit don’t have stem, it will attract more fruit-flies.

Wash

Wash your pumpkin well to remove any bacteria that also cause the early decaying.  

Position

Put your pumpkins in the areas where the temperature remains balanced. Porches are good shelters, if you are putting them near doorway without shelters, try to cover them to avoid snow or rains. Put some decorative curtains near pumpkins to protect them from direct sun light.

Polish and paint

Use polishes or paints on pumpkins, squash and gourds before displaying them. Wax brings the sheen on the fruits and gives them the ornament look. Painting a coat of varnish will keep birds and insects away from the pumpkins.

Note: If you plan to eat pumpkin and squash after they’ve done their decorative duty, skip the polish and paint.

Keep’em caged

Yes you read it correct. People often share that stray animals ruined their pumpkins that they put on display. Some pumpkins also got stolen purposefully by bullies.

However, more vandalism insurance claims are filled from Halloween than any other day of the year. Simplisafe, a wireless home security company started the #ProtectThePumpkins campaign to raise awareness towards seasonal theft and damage. Whether your pumpkins have been eaten by wildlife, or purposefully stolen by bullies, plan ahead and educate yourself with some more information on home security.

Now what you can do is use some beautiful metallic cages and put your best pumpkins in it. This edgy decorative theme will certainly protect your pumpkins and give a whole new meaning for quirky decoration.

You may also use less expensive and slightly rotten pumpkins or guards as part of your decoration. In farmers market you’ll find such pieces in less cost.

Happy Fall everyone :) 

Thanks for Reading

Mugdha 

(Picture Courtesy Pinterest)