Don’t cut the stem off your pumpkin

If you’re carving pumpkins this week, here’s a pro tip: don’t cut the stem off.

Your masterpiece will last way longer if you carve a hole in the bottom or back instead. Unless, of course, you enjoy the company of fruit flies—then by all means, go for it.

Fun fact: that stem was the pumpkin’s lifeline to the vine, full of nutrients that help it stay fresh.

So remember: don’t decapitate your pumpkin—cut its butt off instead. Happy Halloween!