Estabrook's Garden Newsletter

Carve the Perfect Pumpkin

Greet those trick-or-treaters with a spooky creation this year

Halloween is tomorrow, so tonight is the perfect time to carve this year's pumpkins. Here are a few tips to make that jack-o-lantern truly special:

Pumpkin Preservation

There are many effective ways to preserve your jack-o-lanterns. We recommend the following preservation techniques:

• Prevent your pumpkin from drying out by placing petroleum jelly on the cut edges of your carving.
• To help prevent premature decomposition, spray your pumpkin with water, cover it with plastic wrap then store it in the refrigerator when it's not on display.
• Soak or spray the pumpkin with water mixed with a little bit of bleach. This will help ward off mold and kill insects for a longer preservation.

Illumination

No matter how great your design is, your masterpiece will only truly shine once the sun goes down. Here are a few tips for lighting up your jack-o-lantern this Halloween:

• When using a candle, cut a hole on the upper, back part of the pumpkin. The hole will work like a chimney by allowing the candle's heat to escape.
• Try creating the opening from the bottom of the pumpkin instead of the top - you can attach the light source to the bottom lid and place the pumpkin over it.
• For a multicolor display, use a battery-operated light with LED bulbs. A flashing light is ideal for spooky pumpkin carvings.

Amaryllis and Paperwhite Planting Guide

Make an elegant addition to your winter home with Paperwhite bulbs

Looking for a way to bring glorious color indoors this winter? Amaryllis and Paperwhite bulbs are great plants that can be enjoyed inside while snow has blanketed your garden. By starting them now, they'll even be ready for your holiday celebrations!

Simply follow these instructions:

Paperwhites

With paperwhites, you have a choice of planting them using decorative pebbles or potting soil.

For pebbles, simply place the bulb(s) pointed end up inside a pot with no drainage holes and fill the surrounding area with decorative rocks before adding water. To keep the bulbs nice and moist, make sure the water level comes half-way up the bulb.

To plant using potting soil, fill a bulb pan (with drain holes) with 1-2" of soil, then position the bulb(s) pointed end up in the soil so that they are nearly touching each other. Add enough potting soil so that only the top half of the bulbs remain exposed and then water well.

Amaryllis

To plant an amaryllis, find a pot with drain holes and fill the bottom third with potting soil. The size of the pot will depend on the size of your bulb, but make sure you have roughly 1" of space around the largest width of the bulb. Place your bulb pointed end up in the pot and fill the pot with moist soil until the top third of the bulb remains uncovered and water well.