I'm not throwing away my Halloween pumpkins this year – here are 7 things I'll be doing instead

Carving pumpkins for Halloween and putting them out on the doorstep is one of those yearly rituals that we all love. But once the festivities are over, I’m always struck by how wasteful it feels to just throw discarded pumpkins in the bin, so thinking about ways I can make use of pumpkins after Halloween is a must.

Leaving pumpkins out in the woods for wildlife to eat is a definite no when it comes to getting rid of pumpkins after Halloween. Once left outside, they start to decompose and go mouldy quite quickly, plus pumpkins aren’t natural to woodland, so they can make wildlife like hedgehogs, foxes and deer unwell or spread disease if they eat them. And decorated pumpkins often have traces of candlewax or other foreign objects on them that could be harmful to animals too.

‘It's easy to think of a pumpkin as something only useful for Halloween, but it's actually a valuable organic material that people can put to good use,’ says Rachel Cole, senior seed and plant buyer at DT Brown. ‘With a little planning, you can reduce waste while returning nutrients to the soil, which is a simple but worthwhile step towards more sustainable gardening.’

1. Dry out pumpkin seeds for planting

When I carved pumpkins last year, I made a point of saving some seeds so I could plant them and grow my own pumpkins instead of buying them at the supermarket, which was a big success and cost me nothing.

How to save pumpkin seeds is pretty easy; all you need to do is separate the seeds from the flesh, wash them, and then leave them to dry on a sheet of kitchen paper.

Once thoroughly dry, I simply packed them away in an envelope, ready for when to plant the pumpkin seeds in the springtime. Two planted-up seedlings gave me a crop of four pumpkins this year.

2. Roast pumpkin seeds to eat as a snack

With more than enough pumpkin seeds for planting, I’ve also tried roasting the leftover seeds in the oven…and they make a really tasty snack.

There are a couple of options when it comes to roasting pumpkin seeds, but start by separating them from the flesh first, washing them thoroughly and then leaving them to dry on kitchen paper to get rid of any excess moisture (which will make them steam rather than crisp up).

Then it simply depends on what you want to flavour your pumpkin seeds with before you roast them. Toss them in a little olive oil to coat them first and then add your seasoning, whether salt or spices like paprika or garlic. Then just place them on a greased baking tray and roast in a 200C oven for around 10- 15 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes, before leaving to cool.

3. Add pumpkin to your compost bin

‘For pumpkins that are no longer fit to eat, composting is one of the most practical options,’ says Rachel. ‘The flesh breaks down relatively quickly and can contribute organic matter to homemade compost. However, they contain a lot of moisture, so I'd recommend cutting them into smaller pieces before adding them to your compost heap.’

‘Getting the balance right is important. Pumpkin flesh is a nitrogen-rich, moist material, so adding too much at once can leave a compost heap wet, compacted or unpleasant-smelling. Mixing it with dry, carbon-rich materials such as fallen leaves and small amounts of woody garden waste, and turning the heap occasionally will help maintain airflow and encourage decomposition. Once homemade compost has fully decomposed into a dark, crumbly material, it can be used to improve soil structure and support future planting.’

4. Enrich the soil by burying your pumpkin

If, like me, you don’t have a compost bin in your garden, you can still reap the benefits by burying your discarded pumpkin in a flower bed or border so that it decomposes and enriches the soil around your plants.

‘If you have an empty bed that you're preparing for future planting, burying small pieces of pumpkin under the soil can be another way to make use of it,’ suggests Rachel. ‘The key is to keep the material away from plant stems and to give it time to break down before you start growing in that spot.’

5. Consider ‘no-carve’ pumpkin decorating ideas

While carving a pumpkin for Halloweeen is the traditional method, there are some brilliant ‘no-carve’ pumpkin decorating ideas that are safer and super-easy to do. I’ve tried stencilling with black marker pen, colouring pumpkins with paint and decorating with stick-on foliage. And the benefit of choosing one of these decorating methods is that the pumpkin won’t deteriorate so quickly, meaning that the insides can then be used for cooking.

‘When it comes to disposing of a pumpkin, it’s important to check its condition first,’ says Rachel. ‘An intact pumpkin that has been kept indoors and stored properly might still be suitable for cooking, provided it is a food-safe variety and shows no signs of deterioration. However, once a pumpkin has been left outside, or if it has held a candle or other light inside, it is best not to eat it.’

6. Make a bird feeder

Of course, pumpkins are delicious when cooked, whether for soup, roasted in the oven or as a filling for pumpkin pie. But if you’ve cooked up a batch of pumpkin-flavoured treats and are left with a hollowed-out pumpkin, you can still make good use of it.

The shell of a pumpkin can make a great temporary bird feeder for the garden. If you have a large pumpkin, simply cut it in half to make two smaller bowls, pierce holes into the sides of each and loop wire through so you can hang the bowls from a tree branch. Or if you have a carved pumpkin that you're finished with, carve out a larger hole in the side (like the one above) so you can use it as a bird feeder. Just nestle it somewhere high up so birds can fly in and perch on it to feed.

Once in place, fill your pumpkin feeder with seed or bird feed. And do make sure to remove the feeder when the pumpkin starts to rot.

7. Donate to a local zoo or wildlife centre

‘Lastly, if you have a spare whole pumpkin, you could also consider contacting a local zoo or animal sanctuary to see whether they accept pumpkin donations for suitable animals,’ suggests Rachel. ‘Some zoos and sanctuaries use pumpkins as seasonal enrichment or food for certain species, but it is important to check with them first, as donations may be subject to specific requirements.’

So there are plenty of ways you can re-use your pumpkin after Halloween and your garden will thank you for it.