Thread: Pumpkin Defense

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I'm sure many of you could tell stories of pumpkins being stolen or smashed.

My carving of pumpkins actually involves a lot of religious meaning from pagan beliefs. A light for the spirits on that night, and the visage I carve to "awaken" the pumpkin with my "spirit." Might sound like I'm getting far too into Halloween, but the Jack 'O Lantern has a history of being more then just a carved squash.

Can't precise keep the pumpkin inside because it rots (and doesn't serve its purpose) and trying to find a place outside away from the street (out of sight) also defeats it's meaning.

Until now, I've simply waited until late at night to put my "special" pumpkins out and let the others be "sacrificed."

So, this is kind of a two part question:

1. Does the spirit of Halloween include the "Trick" of smashing pumpkins?
2. And, is there something to put on a pumpkin to detour it from being taken?

Would spritzing some hot-pepper water/oil on the outside of the pumpkin work? Maybe slicking it with some vaseline?

Ive heard some people on here use honey to coat their pumpkins.

I've always coated my pumpkins with honey. It's amazing how getting your hands extremely sticky for no known reason gets people to rethink the desire to steal your pumpkin.

If you have an air compressor, you could build a motion-activated spitter like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M67_e4QQTKk

Have the nozzle inside the pumpkin and have it spray through the mouth. That would be hilarious!

Well, "technically" boobie traps are illegal to deter larceny/theft. However, some non-violent deterrents I'm sure are doable. I like the honey idea, but then you have a bug problem to deal with.

Vaseline might work though--at least it makes it a little harder to handle, won't draw insects. I never thought of deterrence; I just kind of assumed that if some knucklehead idiot kids were going to smash pumpkins, they'd do it no matter what.

But in this case a water spitter isn't a "boobie trap", see... It's a "prop"!

I like the honey idea best, but just throwing this out on the table too.... Fake security camera
http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Securi...6534623&sr=1-1

You can use 2 part alarms like these.Cheap and easy.Pretty loud also.2nd pic is a video.


OR those fireworks the kids play with,a string on each side and a torpedo in the middle.When you pull it apart it snaps.I tape several together,they will startle people.

Those little alarms are probably best, I had one and it was pretty piercing. If you want to DIY something louder, you can put a car battery and horn hidden nearby and switch that closes when the pumpkin is lifted...

I would skip on the alarm myself since we have neighbors cats, squirrels and such roaming the neighborhood. The honey would definitely attract the ants. This year I'm thinking of making a board that goes over our porch so it is lvl and put my pumpkins up there and put in tea lights. Then they can be looking down on people as they approach the house. Only takes a few extra min. to pull out the ladder to turn them on and off and if anyone wants them that bad, they can have them. There isn't any stones around our house for them to throw at them and if they did we wouldn't definitely hear the racket.