Enjoy pumpkins even after Halloween

After fall break, find out how you can use both carved and whole pumpkins in your garden and  at home. 

Pumpkins play an essential role in celebrating the fall holidays. Artistically carved jack-o’-lanterns  decorate our doorsteps, and whole pumpkins add a festive touch to tabletops and other spaces  around the home. Once Halloween passes and thanksgiving turns into the winter holidays,  pumpkins often end up in the trash. But instead of throwing it away, consider different ways you  can reuse it. Let’s take a look at how to give new life to carved and whole pumpkins both indoors  and outdoors in just a few days. 

Once Halloween is over, carved jack-o-lanterns and whole pumpkins can be used in the garden  and around the house. 

Decorate your outdoor containers 

Add a unique seasonal flair to your container by adding whole, uncarved pumpkins. Their vibrant  skin adds color to any outdoor space, whether used alone or nestled within flowering annuals and  perennials. 

Make a bird feeder 

Cut the pumpkin in half and fill it with birdseed. Add branches for birds to perch on, and soon your  feathered friends will be flocking for a snack. If you still have pumpkin seeds left, the birds will  love them too. 

Smaller pumpkins can also be used as bird feeders. Clean the inside and make a hole in the side  for the bird. Fill the pumpkin with birdseed and hang it on a nearby tree where you can observe it. 

Transform into a flower pot 

Make a natural container using pumpkin. Remove any seeds and sticky bits, fill with potting soil,  and add your favorite succulents or flowering plants. After using the pots to decorate your tabletop  or entryway for a few days, plant the pumpkins in the ground along with the plants inside.  Pumpkins decompose naturally and enrich the soil. 

Display in the garden 

Pumpkins’ unique colors and shapes add a decorative fall element to your landscape. This is  especially true if used in a prominent location near the driveway or front door. It should break  down naturally into the soil if desired, but it is best to keep it out of the way to achieve this. You  can always dig a shallow hole and place the pumpkin in it.

Add to your compost pile 

Naturally, pumpkins are a great source of nutrients for compost. Cutting the pumpkin into smaller  portions will help it decompose faster. Come spring, pumpkin compost will breathe new life into  your garden. 

Don’t have a compost bin? Cut up the pumpkin and bury it where nearby plants can enjoy the  phosphorus and other nutrients it adds to the soil. 

Feed the deer 

Anyone who grows pumpkins knows that deer love them. Cut pumpkin into small pieces and  scatter them around the garden for a special fall treat your kids will enjoy. Other furry visitors may  also enjoy snacking on the leftovers. 

Transformed into a candle holder 

All you need is a mini pumpkin and a tea light candle. Poke a hole slightly larger than a candle in  the top of the pumpkin and clean the inside. The hole should be deep enough for the candle to  reach the top of the pumpkin. Place a candle in the pumpkin, light it, and use it as a festive  decoration or a dinner for two. 

Use as a serving plate 

The pumpkin’s shape makes it a fun choice for a unique serving dish for your fall table. Small  pumpkins make great containers for dip. 

Make puree 

Lastly, no list of what you can do with pumpkin would be complete without including how to use  it in delicious desserts like pumpkin pie and bread. Mashed pumpkin comes in a can, but it’s easy  to make yourself, and you can use it right away or freeze it for later use. 

See more 

Enjoy pumpkins even after Halloween

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Favorite Halloween decorations from the fall catalog 

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