Bumpy Pumpkins

Pumpkins come in so many colors, sizes, and textures that it helps to have the lingo down before you decide on the pumpkins you want to grow. You’ll also sound like a pro when you give your friends a tour of your pumpkin patch.

• Skin: This is the outside of the pumpkin.
• Flesh: This is the inside of the pumpkin—the stuff you eat. It’s right under the skin.
• Carvability: This is a measure of whether a particular pumpkin will make a good jack-o’-lantern.
• Shape: Not all pumpkins are round. Some are squat, tall, long, etc.
• Texture: A measure of how the skin feels. Bumpy? Rough? Smooth?
• Ribbing: You know those distinctive sections marking off parts of the pumpkin’s skin? That’s ribbing. Some pumpkins have really deep ribbing, which can make them a challenge to paint or carve.

Are you up-to-speed on pumpkin lingo? Do you understand the basics of how to describe pumpkin characteristics? Please share your stories about regaling your family and friends with your pumpkin knowledge.