Pumpkins: How to Tell Good from Bad - as part of the expert series by GeoBeats. How to choose a good pumpkin at the store is: you want to look for a nice pumpkin that will stand on it is own. You do not want something that will fall over when it is standing, that way you have a nice smooth finish to carve with. And, also, you want to check it, to make sure that there is no big gashes or dings in it because that will produce rot if you find any of that. And make sure you have a good hearty stem. This one here the stem has been removed or been rotted away. You want to check that it has a good, nice, solid stem on there.
