Picking Pumpkins

When fall starts to come around, one of the first things to come to mind is pumpkins. From pumpkin patches, carving jack-o-lanterns, eating pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin spice lattes pumpkins are a staple of autumn. But where to find the best pumpkins in St. Louis?

At the bottom of the list is Home Depot. At this location were the most average pumpkins. The majoirty lacked stems for creating caps when carving. Due to prolonged sun exposure, the color was washed out. One pro was the fact that they had a variety of sizes, but on the other hand, there was not a lot of variety in the type of pumpkin. Some of the pumpkins were rotting or had soft spots. The pumpkins were pretty overpriced especially considering the quality. Home Depot lacked fall festivities to experience. Overall, when going to Home Depot, just go to buy some fall flowers, not a pumpkin.

Home improvement stores are not the places to go for pumpkins, as Lowes is next. They used the same brand of pumpkins, but at Lowes, fewer of the pumpkins were rotting, and more pumpkins had stems long enough to make handles if you were to carve them. However, the washed-out color was a constant. Once again, if you are going to a home improvement store to look for pumpkins, you’re better off buying some new flowers. 

Walmart’s pumpkins were not much better, but they stood apart in their experience. Within the store, you can get costumes, candy, pumpkins, and decor all in one trip. The pumpkins did not have stems, but they had good bold orange color and were medium in size. The only variety was in between large and small pumpkins, and some of the small pumpkins were rotting. These pumpkins were on the cheaper side, $3 for a small pumpkin, and $6 for a medium-sized pumpkin. 

The next best place to get your pumpkins would be at grocery stores. Dierbergs was the worst of the grocery stores, as the stems at this location were non-existent. Additionally, since they were sitting in the sun, they had less color. These pumpkins were on average smaller, but inside we found the largest v

ariety of sizes and types of pumpkins, including pre-decorated ones. Inside one could also purchase Ha

lloween candy or some specialty-themed Halloween treats.

Schnucks’ pumpkins by far had the best stems for carving, along with bright orange colors. There was a lot of variety in the type of pumpkin, and size. Along with getting your different types of pumpkins, you could go inside and get Halloween candy, and some limited decor. These pumpkins were selling for $7-$8. A grocery store is ideal for those who would like pumpkins but do not have the time for an additional trip.

Out of all the different stores we visited, Target had the best pumpkins and Halloween experience. The pumpkins had stems, but they weren’t great. However, they were saved by the color and the fact that they were not rotting. These pumpkins were on the cheaper end, for $6 for some of the better quality pumpkins that we found. In addition to finding a pumpkin, they had a large assortment of costumes and candy. Also available were plastic carving pumpkins, including some blue ones that people can put out to signal that they have allergy-friendly goodies. Target is ideal for those not wishing to make an extra trip to a pumpkin patch but still looking for an experience. 

By far, the best pumpkins were found at Webster Hills Methodist Church pumpkin patch, in downtown Webster. They had the most variety, including two different kinds of small pumpkins, and then a variety of types and sizes. A fun gourd with a mushroom appearance and ombre colors are just some of the styles sold. They all had stems that one could use for carving pumpkins. In addition to just pumpkins, there is a great atmosphere, with a bounce house, fun games, and even a corn pit.

If you’re looking for something quick go to Target, as they have cheap pumpkins, close to Clayton, but if you’re there to have a fun time, go to a pumpkin patch.