This $17 Gardening Hack Prevents My Pumpkins from Rotting Before I Can Even Pick Them

It protects against boring beetles, too.

Two weeks ago, I went around the side of the house to take out the garbage—a household task typically relegated to my husband—and was stunned to find a 20-foot vine growing from a neglected patch of soil that’s rarely cared for and doesn’t even have a sprinkler nearby. And I remembered: I threw a pumpkin back here to rot last fall, figuring it would make good compost for the bushes. Now, completely by accident, I had myself an impromptu pumpkin patch.

Some cursory research warned me of the dangers of blossom end rot and regular rot—two common conundrums when cultivating vining plants that grow on the ground. Luckily, my pumpkin vine has naturally trellised itself over the neighboring bushes, but eventually, the gourds will drop and reach the soil. When that day comes—and it will be sooner rather than later because my first squash is maturing faster than any other produce I’ve grown—I have the Jashem 10-Pack Pumpkin Cradles to protect them from rotting.

Jashem 10-Pack Pumpkin Cradles

Amazon Jashem 10 Packs Melon Cradle Pumpkin Stand — Credit: Amazon

Now on sale for less than $20, these pumpkin cradles are a simple but genius gardening hack that lifts squashes off the ground to prevent moisture build-up that can cause rot. Last year, I lost several watermelons due to this common gardening issue, but now that I’ve got a thriving pumpkin patch to protect, I’m prepared with these plastic support baskets this time around.

Each 7.87 x 6.3 x 2.36-inch cradle features a hard cone stake that drives into the ground to offer pumpkins (or melons, squash, cantaloupes, and even strawberries) stable support as they grow bigger and heavier. The basket’s oval shape provides a barrier between your fruit and the ground, keeping it dry and reducing its rot risk.

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A pumpkin cradle protects fruit from moist soil.

Better Homes & Gardens/Stephanie Osmanski

A hand holding a white pumpkin supported by a cradle among green foliage

A white pumpkin growing on a vine beside a stone edge in a garden

Pumpkin plant stem being supported by a green plastic cradle in a garden

A hand holding a green cradle supporting a white pumpkin growing among tree branches

A garden tool supports a growing vine plant on the ground

A small green pumpkin growing on its vine surrounded by foliage

These pumpkin cradles don’t just save pumpkins from developing rot, but they also reduce the likelihood of fatal infestations. After all, it’s not just moisture that soil collects; disease-inducing pests like boring bugs and fungi also lurk in the dirt, and these cradles provide an added layer of defense against them. The cradles also increase air circulation on all sides, which ultimately leads to even, and therefore quicker, ripening.

Rot may be a death sentence, but the Jashem 10-Pack Pumpkin Cradles are the antidote. Grab the 10-pack that I use at home while it’s on sale for just $17, and check out more clever solutions to common gardening problems, below.