What To Do With Your Pumpkins After Halloween

04 Oct What To Do With Your Pumpkins After Halloween

As October comes to a close, you’re probably wondering what to do with your Halloween pumpkins. It’s a shame to just throw them out but what can you do? Here are some creative and even tasty alternatives to just tossing out your pumpkin like every other year.

If you carved your pumpkin, you need to make sure to put them to use as quickly as possible before they begin to rot. One option for your carved Jack-O-Lantern is using it for compost. Pumpkins are full of nutrients, making them a great fertilizer. Before adding them to your garden, make sure to take out the seeds unless you want to grow your own pumpkin for next year! If you don’t have a compost pile, you can simply just bury the pumpkin in your winter garden and let the soil soak up all the nutrients.

A commonly overlooked option for pumpkins is sharing them! Be kind to the furry animals that live in your neighborhood and leave them a tasty snack. Pumpkin makes a delicious snack for animals like deer, squirrels, and birds. Just make sure you place it in an area where you don’t mind having a few wild visitors.

If you skipped carving your pumpkin this year and decorated it with paint or other materials, there are plenty of things you can do with it now! If you plan on cooking or ingesting your pumpkin in any way, make sure you used non-toxic paint or materials when decorating. You now have the option of enjoying a yummy pumpkin puree. You will need to scoop out the seeds and guts, place your pumpkin face down in a baking dish filled with 1 cup of water, and bake for 90 minutes. Once the pumpkin flesh is tender, scoop it out and puree it in a food processor. Once this is done, you can use your pumpkin puree to make pumpkin cake, muffins, or bread!

Another popular treat you can make with a pumpkin is baked pumpkin seeds! Make sure you wash the seeds before you bake them. Add the seasoning of your choice and you have a healthy snack you can munch on all fall!

If you don’t want to munch on pumpkin flavored treats, you can always use your uncarved pumpkin as a planter for your winter garden. To use it, cut a large hole at the top and hollow out the center. Then you will want to drill a small hole in the bottom to allow for drainage. After you fill it half way with soil, throw in your favorite seasonal plants and wait for them to bloom!

Just because Halloween is over, doesn’t mean we don’t have anymore fall holidays. As long as your pumpkin wasn’t damaged or nibbled on by animals, you can recycle it to use as decor for Thanksgiving! Whether you want to redecorate it or leave it as is, your recycled pumpkin will make a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece. If you need help preserving your pumpkin or giving it a nice shine, rub Vaseline on a rag and buff the pumpkin until it looks brand new.

With all of these creative and unique things you can do to your Jack-O-Lantern, there’s no reason to throw it out! You can either make yourself a yummy snack, add to your garden, or reuse it for another holiday. Gone are the days of simply just throwing out your pumpkins. Get the most out of your pumpkin this year and give one, or even a few, of these ideas a try!