Pumpkin Uses & Recycling
The holidays are best when celebrated responsibly and it's important to make sure they aren't the cause of excess waste. Here are some tips to get the most use out of your pumpkins and what to do with them after Halloween.
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Pumpkin Puree
After Halloween, if your pumpkin is whole and still in good shape, you can use it for all sorts of baked goods. Making pumpkin puree is easier than you would think; you don't have to buy the canned stuff. Even if you plan on carving your pumpkin, you can scoop out the pumpkin walls, making them thinner and easier to carve. Do not eat the pumpkin if it was carved previously as it may have started to decompose.
Pumpkin is delicious in so many recipes, cut it up into cubes so you can roast it and add it to pasta, salad, veggie mixes... the possibilities are endless. Do not do this if you have previously carved your pumpkin.
When you carve your pumpkin, keep the seeds to dry them and roast them.
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Plant the seeds
Dry the seeds out and store them until spring when they're ready to be planted.
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Decorate for Thanksgiving
After Halloween, Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and luckily pumpkins work for both holidays. Pair your pumpkins with dried corn, candles, and other Thanksgiving decor.
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Make a planter
You can carve out the inside of your pumpkin and add dirt to make a planter, or add some cut flowers and use it as a vase.
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Crafts
Cut the pumpkin walls into different shaped pieces to make stamps for a fun craft project.
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Feed the animals
Local farms or zoos may be interested in taking your leftover pumpkin to feed to their animals. If it is safe to do so you can also leave your pumpkins in the woods far from your home, for wild animals to find. Birds will also eat the pumpkin's seeds if you add them to your bird feeder.
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Compost
If you can't eat it, the compost is the next best place for your pumpkins.
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Bury them
If you don't have a way to compost it, you can also dig a hole and bury the pumpkin and nature will do the rest. Alternatively, you can smash the pumpkin into little pieces and spread them throughout your garden to add some nutrients you the soil.