Watch Pumpkin Jack’s Life Cycle Unfold

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Pumpkin Jack title image. Tagline - follow along the life journey!

Currituck County 4-H hosted a cloverbud pumpkin workshop on Monday October 30, 2023. Participants made pumpkin muffins, carved pumpkins, dissected a pumpkin and learned about the different parts of a pumpkin. They also explored the different varieties of pumpkins and learned about the life cycle of a pumpkin. 

The workshop brought the book, Pumpkin Jack, by Will Hubbell to life. This book explores the life of a jack-o’-lantern from pumpkin to Halloween display to a rotted regenerating pumpkin factory! 

That story got the workshop participants talking about the different stages a pumpkin goes through to becoming a plant and producing more pumpkins. Participants decided to try an experiment and had Currituck County 4-H Program Assistant, Stephanie Minton, carved a face on a pie pumpkin they named Pumpkin Jack. They then took that small pumpkin and put him in a clear plastic container. Participants are looking forward to following the progress of Pumpkin Jack throughout the year. You can follow along as well on the Currituck 4-H Facebook page or by bookmarking and checking this post where we’ll update Jack’s progress. 

Pumpkin Jack looking normal in the jar

Week 1: Just a happy jack-o-lantern in a jar!

Pumpkin Jack is beginning to grow a little mold on the surface.

Week 2: Growing a little face fuzz!

Pumpkin Jack is beginning to rot and shrink into the soil.

Week 3: He’s melting!

Pumpkin is rotting further into the soil.

Week 4: Continuing to melt.

A pumpkin in a jar decomposing. It has white mold growing along its surface.

Week 5: I think he’s trying to grow a Santa beard!

Pumpkin Jack covered in white fuzzy mold

Week 6: Pumpkin Jack is dreaming of a white Christmas!

Decomposing pumpkin covered in white mold

Week 7: Is it snowing in there?

Container with dirt, mold, and decomposing pumpkin

Week 8: There’s not much pumpkin left in there!

Container with dirt and white mold

Week 9: Pumpkin Jack has snuggled down to hibernate for the winter!

Container filled with dirt and white mold

Pumpkin Jack has fully decomposed!

Clear plastic container with dirt

Now we wait to see if Pumpkin Jack will sprout. Stay tuned!