9 Ways to Use Your Left-Over Pumpkins

There’s an astounding amount of waste generated from post-Halloween pumpkins.   Instead of throwing your pumpkins out, why not reuse and recycle them?  Here are a few ideas on how.

1. Cut up the pumpkin into manageable pieces and throw them into the compost bin. They are 90% water and should break down quickly.

2. Put them in your garden for the wildlife to enjoy.

3. Pumpkin seeds can be scooped out with a spoon, tossed with a bit of olive oil and salt, and baked or wok-fried to create a healthy and delicious snack for the family.

4. Dry the seeds in the oven and sprinkle them in with your favorite birdseed mix. The birds devour them and they are nutritious and energy-packed (Perkypet.com 2022, Thespruce.com, June 22, 2022).

5. Create treats for Fido by adding flour, eggs, peanut butter, and spices to the pumpkin meat (Peanut Butter and Pumpkin dog treats, Allrecipes.com).

6. If you have chickens on your property, put the pumpkin on the ground whole and allow the birds to have fun carving a silly face. Kickstart the process for them by creating a few small holes for them to peck around (YouTube, Halloween pumpkin carving by chickens, October 2022).

7. After cleaning out the stringy mushy insides, add a plastic container of your bird’s favorite seed to the inside and suspend it from a tree with a macrame hanger or roping. This was secured with a nail through the pumpkin’s bottom and hung high enough to avoid deer browsing (see photo).

8. Create a cheery porch scape that includes pumpkins filled with potting soil,  herbs, or colorful fall flowers. Display on your porch steps or by the front door (Mary Dyer, Container Gardens, gardening know-how).

9. Fill an empty pumpkin with cubed ice and chill your favorite chablis. Toast the change of seasons with a loved one! (Pinterest.com).