Halloween Pumpkin 'Jack O’Lantern'

The winter squash variety Jack O’Lantern is a well-known race of ornamental pumpkins, often used for Halloween. The plants have short vines. Not until late in the season, during ripening, the fruits start to colour from green to orange. The pulp is suitable for soup. The fruits are mediocre in size and weigh around 3 kilograms. When the fruits are harvested ripe, they can be preserved for about four months. It is important to harvest the pumpkins before temperatures drop below 0oC, when the leaves are withered and the stem is dry. The pumpkins will be preserved best when surroundings are dry and not too cold.