5 Clever Ways to Reuse Pumpkins after Halloween

Pumpkins will last around 2-3 weeks before they start to decompose. As they are completely organic, pumpkins will help make wonderful rich compost, helping your garden flourish. Breaking down your pumpkin before composting will speed up the process. This compost will be ideal for garden beds, vegetable patches and in your soil. Use the EasyMix 2-in-1 Composter and have your compost ready in 6-8weeks. If you don’t have a garden, pumpkins can go in your food waste bin. Also, local gardens or allotments would be happy to take them in.

So long as your pumpkin has not been left out too long, there are a great number of recipes you can use for your pumpkin. Take a look through this section of BBC Good Food, where you can find recipes for Pumpkin Pie, Hummus, Bread and Soup!

Pumpkin vases are a fantastic way of creating a wonderful autumnal display of plants and flowers. If your pumpkin is already carved out, simply place the flowers and cuttings of your choice inside the pumpkin. This display is a great alternative to the traditional methods of pumpkin carving, helping your flowers to stand out. You can learn how to grow your own pumpkins here.

Pumpkin bird feeders are a great way to reuse your pumpkin. Cut your empty pumpkin in half and hang it with some string. Then simply fill up your pumpkin with bird seeds or pumpkin seeds. Over time the pumpkin will decompose, so make sure that there is nothing breakable below. Hedgehogs should not consume pumpkins. Therefore, if any are in your local area, it’s best to place the pumpkin into your composter or a food waste bin once the birds have enjoyed their treats.

Save up the pumpkin seeds while carving, and dry them in the oven at 180C/gas 4 for about ten minutes. You can then eat these seeds as a tasty treat, you can also include spices such as paprika, cumin or chilli. Take a look at this BBC Good Food recipe for more inspiration. These seeds could also be added to a bird feeder.