This week really makes it seem like fall, and one of the favorite fall decorations is the pumpkin. It's been a challenging year with many of the diseases common in a wet season, and having a cool year also. Following are some of the cardinal rules for selecting and keeping pumpkins:

• Choose a pumpkin with a stem and never carry it by the stem. Pumpkins without a stem will not last long.
• Select a pumpkin with a flat bottom, so it will stand upright
• Avoid pumpkins with holes, cuts or soft spots. These areas will rot.
• Light colored pumpkins are easier to carve because the skin is not as hard as darker orange colored ones, but they will not keep as well.
• Wash the pumpkin with warm water and let it dry before carving. Use of a small amount of dishwashing soap in the warm water may help extend the life of the pumpkin.
• To make the pumpkin last longer, keep it in a cool place until ready to carve. After carving, coat the cuts with petroleum jelly.
• Carving should only be done three days ahead of Halloween. After cutting, the pumpkin will deteriorate rapidly.
• The use of a candle in the pumpkin will also make it deteriorate rapidly.