Disposing of your Halloween Pumpkins
As the Halloween season comes to an end, here are a few ways you can properly dispose of your pumpkins that are beginning to rot and mold. There are proper ways to dispose of your pumpkins to mitigate both methane release and the stink rotting pumpkins can bring to your front porch. If you didn’t carve into the pumpkins, keep them around for a little while. Pumpkins can last for several weeks if they are uncarved. They can serve as a fun fall decoration for just a little while longer. However, if they are carved, it is time to think about disposal. If you have painted jack o’ lanterns do not feed the pumpkins to animals. Here’s a list of some ways to get rid of your rotting jack o’lanterns:
Compost your pumpkins. Pumpkins are mostly water and decompose quickly, so they actually serve as great compost material. If you have a compost bin or know a friend that has one, consider composting it. The nutrients and gasses released during decomposition will return to the soil. A whole pumpkin can take about 8-12 weeks to start decomposing, so cutting it up into smaller pieces will make it breakdown much quicker. Make sure to remove the seeds from the pumpkin before doing this, or you compost pile may turn into a pumpkin patch in the future.
Donate your pumpkins. Consider donating your pumpkins to local farmers. Pumpkins often serve as a great food/snack for livestock. Pumpkins are a good source of energy and protein, and contain vitamins A and E, folate, and fiber. They can also improve the quality of meat, milk, and eggs.
Smash your pumpkins. You can smash your pumpkins into much smaller pieces, and spread them around for local wildlife. Once again, you’ll need to remove the seeds to prevent your neighborhood from becoming a future pumpkin patch. You’ll find squirrels, raccoons, deer, foxes, mice, and insects will enjoy feeding on the pumpkins. Keep in mind that placing them in your yard may attract these kinds of wildlife.
If your pumpkins are uncarved and healthy, it is always a good idea to roast the seeds or make a pumpkin pie for a nice treat!