Uncle Al's crappy pumpkins... (Port Charlotte, Christmas: buying, price, store)

[Jellobiafra]

You know, I gave this group a try a few years ago on Christmas trees, even though they were pretty expensive. The tree had obviously been cut much earlier than it needed to be to be shipped to us. While it looked good for a couple of days, all the water and tree food couldn't save it, and we ended up buying another just a couple days before Christmas.

Now...pumpkins. Took my 3 boys to their tent in Port Charlotte Friday night, on 41 in front of the Chinese buffet/Halloween store. They each picked one out and my wife picked one out for herself. That night, the kids sat around and carved.

By Sunday night, 2 days later, 3 of them had completely collapsed into a pile of juicy, moldy mess. This morning, the last one went in the trash. All of them, within 72 hours, were completely wasted.

Now, this isn't my first Halloween. I've never seen anything this bad before. We've always carved our pumpkins days before Halloween, and kept them inside until Halloween night, when we'd put them out. Sometimes, we'd leave them outside for a couple days after, before pitching them.

I'm just come to the conclusion that this is a fly by night rip off group of people. Do what you'd like, but if you haven't already purchased your pumpkins, I'd stay far away from them.

I guess I could take the 3 trash bags full of pumpkin slop back to them and try and get my money back.

[JBMallory]

You may hate to hear this...

Buy at walmart. They're cheap, kept inside out of the heat, and they last. Last year I bought 8 pumpkins, it was my youngest daughters 1st halloween and my oldest daughters 2nd, they deserved it. I bought a few from a pumpkin patch place and a few at wal-mart late one night. They all lasted, but the wally world ones lasted longer. We only bought two this year, from lakes park because we took the girls down there for a bike ride and let them pick out pumpkins, gonna carve them today, we'll see how they last.

[121804]

Originally Posted by Jellobiafra

Now...pumpkins. Took my 3 boys to their tent in Port Charlotte Friday night, on 41 in front of the Chinese buffet/Halloween store.

Doesn't the Chinese buffet/Halloween store say enough???

I remember the rotting pumpkins outside of Publix. Pleasant.

As the above poster said: Unfortunately, Wally World. You'll get a few more days out of them.

Better hurry, though, b/c to most retailers, Halloween is long gone & Christmas is next week

[hiknapster]

Florida is not conducive to Christmas trees. Over-priced and half-dead from the heat. Never fresh.

I couldn't wait to get to Tennessee to get a real tree, again. We cut them down at a farm. Drink hot cocoa. And the kicker is that is not that cold, but it is not hot. Just right.

JB is so right. You can at least have pumpkins but you won't get the charm of picking them at the farm, either. Buy them at the local grocery store and you won't be able to keep them outside for too long.

I don't miss Florida.

Sorry to rub it in, but the falling leaves in my yard are spectacular and the scent from the burning wood in my two fireplaces is fabulous. It's in the upper 50s today, but should be in the 70s for the rest of the week. Ah, paradise.

[121804]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Sorry to rub it in, but the falling leaves in my yard are spectacular and the scent from the burning wood in my two fireplaces is fabulous. It's in the upper 50s today, but should be in the 70s for the rest of the week. Ah, paradise.

For the absolutely awful summer we had here (rain & cold), the colors the past 2 weeks have been breathtaking. I've taken more pictures the past week of my kids playing outside than I did all year. We have several 50 feet maples in our backyard & the colors when the sun was setting makes the inevitable winter months tolerable. We have to pack our leaves & so far, I've done 37 bags Racked up another 15 bags this morning & off to bag them up while the kids nap. It's in the high50s & all sun. Absolutely beautiful.
Bought our pumpkins from a pumpkin farm in the country that was on acres of beauty.
Nope, don't miss the rotting pumpkins or half dead Christmas trees.

Miss some decent weather in Feb or March, but that is about it

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by 121804

For the absolutely awful summer we had here (rain & cold), the colors the past 2 weeks have been breathtaking. I've taken more pictures the past week of my kids playing outside than I did all year. We have several 50 feet maples in our backyard & the colors when the sun was setting makes the inevitable winter months tolerable. We have to pack our leaves & so far, I've done 37 bags Racked up another 15 bags this morning & off to bag them up while the kids nap. It's in the high50s & all sun. Absolutely beautiful.
Bought our pumpkins from a pumpkin farm in the country that was on acres of beauty.
Nope, don't miss the rotting pumpkins or half dead Christmas trees.

Miss some decent weather in Feb or March, but that is about it

We have 24 mature trees on our lot. Some of the oaks and hickorys have to be a couple hundred years old. Lots and lots and lots of leaves.

Move to Tennessee and you won't have to deal with the nasty winter weather. And March is staggeringly beautiful.

[Obxnc7]

OK.......maybe the 95 degree, high humidity weather has something to do with it............in my opinion, no pumpkin could stand a chance.