Keep your fall porch looking its best.

Your five-minute care routine

1. Check the display every day or two for standing water, soft spots or animal damage.
2. After rain, let pumpkins dry and remove water trapped underneath or between them.
3. Move any soft or leaking item away from the rest of the display immediately.
4. Check mum soil with your finger and water the soil when it feels dry.
5. Send us a photo right away if a pumpkin begins rotting during the first three days.

Pumpkins and gourds

Keep them cool, shaded and dry when your porch allows. Heat and strong afternoon sun speed deterioration. Never lift a pumpkin by its stem. Avoid cuts, punctures and hard impacts because damaged skin gives decay an easier starting point. Airflow helps, so do not pack wet pumpkins tightly together. If a hard freeze is expected, move any pumpkins you can safely lift into a protected, cool space overnight. Freezing damages the flesh and can cause rapid decay after thawing.

Rain, concrete and porch surfaces

Do not let pumpkins sit in standing water. After a storm, gently dry them and check the surface beneath the display. A dry riser, mat or protected surface can reduce moisture contact, but make sure it is stable and does not create a trip hazard. Natural products may release moisture or color as they age, so check painted, wooden and masonry surfaces regularly.

Live mums

Check the potting mix daily during warm, sunny or windy weather. Water slowly at soil level until water drains from the pot, then empty any saucer or container holding standing water. Avoid pouring water over the flowers. Remove spent blooms and protect plants from hard frost when practical.

Animals and insects

Remove nearby pet food, birdseed and other food sources. If wildlife becomes a problem, use only a commercially labeled animal repellent that specifically allows use around ornamental produce and plants. Follow the product label, test a hidden area first and keep it away from children and pets until the label says the area is safe. No deterrent can guarantee animals will stay away.

About pumpkin preservatives

There is no spray that can guarantee an outdoor pumpkin will not rot. The most dependable approach is starting with firm, undamaged pumpkins and keeping them cool, dry, off damp surfaces and well ventilated. University Extension guidance supports cleaning whole decorative pumpkins with a dilute solution of about one tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of water, followed by complete air drying. Autumn Entry Co. may use that measured sanitation step before installation after testing it on the pumpkin and protecting surrounding surfaces. We will not use stronger homemade mixtures, petroleum coatings or unlabeled pest-control products on a customer’s display. Sanitized decorative pumpkins should not be eaten.

Three-day replacement policy

If a pumpkin develops rot within three days of installation, use your private order page to send a replacement request and clear photo. After review, Autumn Entry Co. will provide one comparable replacement at no charge. Weather damage, animal damage, customer movement, neglect and conditions outside our control are not guaranteed.

When the season ends

If you purchased Season-End Pumpkin Removal, submit a removal request from your private order page or contact Courtney when you are ready. Nonperishable decor belongs to you. Local disposal and composting rules may vary.