Carved pumpkins have a much shorter shelf-life, sometimes only a few days up to a week before noticeable rotting occurs. To extend the life of carved pumpkins be sure to clean out the inside thoroughly, removing all seeds and loose string. Soak the inside of the pumpkin in a 10 % bleach-water solution for several hours. Avoid using a real candle inside the pumpkin since the heat will speed up rotting. Pumpkins have a high water concentration, so if there’s a freeze in the forecast, bring your jack-o-lanterns inside. (Cynthia Domenghini)