from Wildlife Promise
10/30/2014 // By Dani Tinker
One of my favorite parts of Halloween, is carving pumpkins. My evening walks through the neighborhood are even better with the bright orange pumpkins, highlighting the colors of autumn, and showing off creative designs.
After the trick-or-treaters clear away, and Halloween is officially over, don’t trash your pumpkins! There are several ways to recycle them with wildlife and your garden in mind. How do you reuse pumpkins in your yard?
Squirrel in a pumpkin by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Katherine Flickinger.
1. Compost Your Pumpkins
If you’ve carved a jack-o-lantern, it may already be decomposing. Pumpkins are 90% water, which means they easily and quickly break down. This makes them a great addition to your compost pile. Prevent unwanted pumpkin plants by removing the seeds first (set seeds aside for #3 and #5). If you don’t have a compost bin or pile, check your local government, nearby farms, or community gardens to see if they collect old pumpkins.
Pumpkins can make a great addition to compost bins or piles. Photo by Karl Steel.
2. Make a Snack-o-Lantern
This is one of the most creative ideas I’ve seen to recycle pumpkins. You can turn your jack-o-lantern into a snack-o-lantern for wildlife! It’s fairly easy to make, and the squirrels and birds will love it.
Find out how to make a snack-o-lantern!
3. Leave Seeds for Wildlife
Large birds and small mammals will eat pumpkin seeds if you offer them in your yard. Collect seeds from your pumpkins, before composting them, and let the seeds dry. Please don’t add salt or seasoning. Place seeds on a flat surface, tray, shallow bowl, or mix in with existing bird seed in your garden.
Nuthatch eats pumpkin seeds by Kurt Bauschardt.
4. Cut it into Pieces for Animals
Many backyard animals will eat pieces of pumpkin flesh. You can cut it into pieces and leave it out. This porcupine doesn’t even need it cut into pieces!
5. Plant Pumpkin Seeds
The squash bee is one of many insects to pollinate pumpkin flowers. If you have room in your yard, you can save seeds for a harvest of pumpkins next year.
Bee pollinating a pumpkin flower by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Paul Gardner.
UPDATE: Please keep in mind this applies to non-painted pumpkins, as the toxins in paint can be harmful to wildlife. Also, keep pumpkins away from the house, ideally near trees. Add other helpful suggestions in the comments below!
Gene Dempsey, City Forester
Public Works Sustainability Division
Office - (954) 828-5785 Fax - (954) 828-4745
