10 Top Pumpkin Picking Tips To Pick The Perfect Pumpkin

We love pumpkin picking season but we have had our fair share of pumpkin disasters in the past. We thought it would be helpful to share our pumpkin picking tips with you so that you can avoid these mistakes and find the perfect pumpkin this Halloween.

We cover all the best pumpkin picking tips from which pumpkins to avoid, what to wear and where to go.

We’ve come up with a list of top tips to pick the perfect pumpkin but before we share these top pumpkin picking tips…

Do you know the history of the Halloween pumpkin?

It is said that the practice of carving Jack-o’-Lanterns at Halloween dates back hundreds of years to Ireland. In those days they used potatoes and turnips but when Irish immigrants took this tradition with them to the US, they discovered pumpkins.

Ghoulish faces carved on the pumpkins that were lit up with a flickering candle inside were thought to both ward off evil spirits and represent evil spirits. Today, they’re more of a sign to indicate to trick or treaters that you are open for business!

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Lady pulling a cart with 2 small children in it through a pumpkin field in Hampshire.

These are our top pumpkin picking tips…

Tips for going pumpkin picking

Wear suitable clothing. The pumpkins are grown (or are laid out) in fields. If you’re visiting these pumpkin fields on a wet day or it has previously been raining, the pumpkin patches will be muddy.

It is usually always best to wear wellies or other suitable footwear for this family-friendly day out.

Take a sturdy bag. Many of these pumpkin farms have wheelbarrows which you may or may not need to pay a deposit for.

If they don’t have wheelbarrows, you should consider taking a sturdy bag. You probably also want a bag for your car to stop pumpkins rolling around on the way home.

Make a day of it. Most pumpkin farms these days have lots of other fun Halloween activities for kids. They might have a maize maze or fancy dress competitions. Maybe they have a Halloween trail.

There’s so much more to pumpkin picking these days than the pumpkin picking itself!

Boy choosing a wheelbarrow at a pumpkin farm - one of our top pumpkin picking tips is to see if the pumpkin farm has wheelbarrows for use.

Tips for picking the perfect pumpkin

Avoid pumpkins with soft spots or cuts as this signals a rotting pumpkin. It won’t last long at all when carved. Pumpkins should be firm when you pick them.

Heavier pumpkins are better for carving. Heavier pumpkins mean denser walls which are best for carving. Thinner walls may collapse when carving your design.

Don’t carry the pumpkin by the stalk. Carrying your pumpkin by the stalk may end up with the stalk snapping and you dropping the pumpkin. This will result in a damaged pumpkin.

Lots of pumpkin waste is created by people dropping their pumpkins after picking them and leaving them for the farmer to deal with.

Two boys holding pumpkins in front of their faces standing behind a wheelbarrow.

Check the price per weight or size of the pumpkin. The majority of farms will sell pumpkins by weight or size. Check the price per weight or size before letting the kids choose the largest, heaviest pumpkin as the cost will soon add up!

Many great designs only require small pumpkins. Bigger is not always better. This is one of the best pumpkin picking tips we have picked up over the years!

Know what type of pumpkin you are picking. Some pumpkins are better for eating than others and the farm should be able to tell you which ones these are. See here for zero waste pumpkin ideas.

Pumpkin guide at a pumpkin farm showing which pumpkins are good for eating and which are good for carving.

Think about your design before you head to the pumpkin patch. With a huge variety of PYO pumpkins available at most pumpkin farms, you will be able to choose the pumpkin most suited to your design.

For example, a white gourd might look great for a ghost. If you have selected a design, you could take it with you to size up the perfect pumpkin.

Pick a pumpkin with a flat base. Also thinking of pumpkin design, make sure to pick out a pumpkin with a flat base so that it will stand on its own and not topple over.

Boy holding a pumpkin with a flat base. Top pumpkin picking tip - select a pumpkin with a flat base.

Tips for carving your pumpkins

Some PYO pumpkin farms in will have carving facilities onsite. If they don’t, you might want to look into getting one of these pumpkin carving kits.
If you are picking your pumpkin in advance of Halloween, do not carve it straight away as it will deteriorate before Halloween. Our kids are always excited to carve their pumpkin as soon as we get it but if you want it to last, you need to store your pumpkin in a cool, dry place and carve it closer to Halloween. One of our top pumpkin picking tips is to give the kids a small pumpkin to carve and save the good ones for later!
Our own carvings are quite traditional (and leave a lot to be desired!), but there are some incredibly elaborate carvings out that you could try to copy.

We hope that you will find these pumpkin picking tips helpful and that you have fun creating the perfect pumpkin this Halloween.

Now that you are armed with all the pumpkin picking tips, here are some ideas on where to find the best pumpkins!

If you’re looking for UK staycations this October half term, take a look at our guide to the best UK Halloween breaks for families.