Halloween pumpkins may look a little different this year, with trick-or-treaters potentially encountering green-tinged jack-o-lanterns instead of the usual bright orange ones.
This shift is due to challenging growing conditions faced by UK farmers resulting in pumpkins that have not fully ripened.
Supermarkets like Asda have put up signs reassuring customers that these slightly green pumpkins will turn orange once left at home, though they may not reach the sizes people have come to expect in recent years.
Julian Marks, CEO of Barfoots, a major pumpkin producer, explained that an unusually cold, and wet spring caused many initial plantings to fail.
Although farmers replanted when the weather improved, some pumpkins didn’t have enough time to ripen fully.
“There is quite a lot of green out there,” Marks said, adding that despite their color, these pumpkins will still make great jack-o-lanterns once carved. Unfortunately, this issue isn’t isolated to pumpkins.
Pumpkin shortages were feared as wet weather and slugs hit UK crops, ahead of Halloween.Other crops, such as wheat and oats, also struggled this season due to England’s second-worst harvest on record.
Farmers had to contend with more than just poor weather. A “slug army” flourished during the wet conditions, damaging crops further.
National Trust gardeners and horticulturists from the Royal Horticultural Society reported smaller yields, with some pumpkin harvests down by as much as 25% compared to previous years.
The rain also created slugs and pests that only made matters worse, leading to concerns about shortages.
Despite these difficulties, retailers like Tesco insist they have enough pumpkins to meet demand.
Still, for those feeling nostalgic or faced with empty shelves, turnips—once the traditional Halloween decoration—might make a surprising comeback.
As trends evolve, these root vegetables could reconnect people to the Halloween traditions of the past.