Depending on your local weather conditions during the month of October, a carved pumpkin can have a life span any were of from a week to only a day.

The best way to make a carved pumpkin last longer is to slow down the dehydration process and deter the on-set of mold. When pumpkins shrivel up, it's because they have lost moisture. You can usually restore them back to their original condition by soaking them in water overnight.

One technique is to coat all cut surfaces of the pumpkin with petroleum jelly immediately after carving. This includes a light coating of the entire inside of the pumpkin. If you can't do the whole inside, at least try to coat the design that you've cut.

The petroleum jelly acts as a barrier to seal in the pumpkins internal moisture to help slow down the dehydration process of the pumpkin. You can use a finger to coat the eyes, nose and mouth but you may want to use a paper towel with jelly on it to coat the inside. It's less messy that way.

Because of the amount of pumpkins we carve for Halloween, we usually carve most, if not all the pumpkins one or two days before Halloween. Because temperature, particularly heat, it is important to move the pumpkins to a dry, shaded area during the day. This will help to extend there life. If you have   a spare refrigerator, you can empty it out and keep them in it over night to slow down decomposition.

Another way to keep them fresh is to use a pumpkin dip that is available at most grocery stores or stands that sell pumpkins during the Halloween season. Pumpkin dip is mixed with water in a large container and the pumpkins are submerged in it, sometimes over night, in order to preserve them. This is a tedious and messy way to keep your pumpkins fresh as you have to do it every night after they have been carved.