If you just nicked the skin it will probably just heal over.

When I have pumpkins I will scratch the kids' names into them that way with a pin and it will grow with the pumpkin.

I also label hand-pollinated squash that I'm keeping separate "seed" by scratching that word into the skin for a label that cannot be separated from the fruit. :-)

if it's very small (the pumpkin) it might be a goner.
but don't worry , you'll have more than 1 on each plant.
If it starts to rot... cut it off and toss in the compost.
don't leave it on the stem.
good luck :)

You might get a little warty type scar on the skin where your fingernail went through, but it should not be a problem for the pumpkin.

I had a baseball size pumpkin get gnawd on by a squirrel a few weeks ago. The squirrel had removed all the skin from the blossom end, and then chewed a hole into the pumkin about the size of a dime and about 1/2 inch deep. I was afraid it would rot, but within a few days the wounds healed over and I now have a pumpkin that is the size of a honeydew melon ... so dont despair, but do keep an eye on your little guy!!

: ) Donna

Thanks! I was so worried I did some permanent fatal damage! That's really cool the pin idea...I'll have to try that sometime. I didn't know you could do that without killing it!
I guess there is hope if that squirrel wound healed up ok, mine is about the size of a baseball too, but the damage is a lot less severe! I'd probably have had a heart attack if I discovered a squirrel bite in it lol!
Thanks!

The inscribing techique is an artform. Some people (talanted) draw on their gourds when they are young.
I will have to try some on my gourds.
Thanks for bringing it up

My brother poked a hole in my pumpkin and i'm not sure what to do next. Any suggestions?