Halloween might be over, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your pumpkins need to go straight to the bin.
If you’ve carved pumpkins for your doorstep, grown your own this year or simply have a few left over after the celebrations, there are plenty of ways to make use of them. From adding them to your compost to saving the seeds for next year’s garden, your pumpkin can have a useful second life.
Why should you not throw away pumpkins?
Pumpkins are a type of organic matter, so there’s no need for them to end up in your general waste.
Once Halloween is over, pumpkins can be composted, used as food for some garden wildlife, saved for their seeds or, if they’re still fresh and suitable for eating, used in cooking.
A carved pumpkin that’s starting to soften won’t last forever, but that doesn’t mean it’s useless. With a little preparation, you can return it to the garden rather than sending it to a landfill.
If you’ve grown your own pumpkin, you might also want to save some of the seeds and try growing them again next year.
Where should you put pumpkins after Halloween?
There are several options depending on the condition of your pumpkin and what you’d like to do with it.
Add it to your compost
One of the easiest things to do with an old pumpkin is add it to your compost bin or compost heap.
Before you do, remove any candles, tealights, paint, glitter or other decorations. Chop the pumpkin into smaller pieces to help it break down more quickly, then add it alongside your usual mix of compostable materials.
If you have a particularly large pumpkin, you don't need to add the whole thing in one go. Breaking it up first will make it much easier to manage.
For more advice on getting the most from your compost, take a look at our guide to composting.
Check your local food waste collection
Depending on where you live, pumpkins may also be accepted in your household food waste collection.
It’s worth checking your local council’s guidance first, as what can be collected varies between areas.
If you’re wondering where to dispose of pumpkins after Halloween, this can be a good option if you don't have a compost bin or heap at home.
Can you eat Halloween pumpkins?
Yes, pumpkins can be edible after halloween, but it depends on the pumpkin and how it has been used.
Carving pumpkins are generally grown for their size and shape rather than their flavour, so they can be more watery or less sweet than pumpkins grown specifically for cooking. However, if your pumpkin is still fresh and hasn’t been exposed to candles, paint, wax or other decorations, you may be able to use the flesh.
Always check it carefully first. If your pumpkin is mouldy, rotten, smells unpleasant or has started to deteriorate significantly, don't eat it.
Three ways to cook with pumpkin
If you have a suitable pumpkin left over, why not make something warming and seasonal?
Pumpkin soup
A simple pumpkin soup is a great way to use up the flesh. Roast your pumpkin with onion and garlic, add vegetable stock and blend until smooth. Finish with your favourite herbs and seasoning.
Pumpkin curry
Pumpkin works particularly well in a warming curry. Try adding chunks of pumpkin to a tomato or coconut based sauce with spices and chickpeas.
Pumpkin muffins or cake
Pumpkins can also be used in baking. Combine cooked pumpkin with warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for an autumnal cake or batch of muffins.
Save your pumpkin seeds for next year
If you’ve grown a pumpkin you particularly liked this year, don’t overlook the seeds.
Saving pumpkin seeds for next year is a simple way to have a go at growing your own pumpkins again.
Scoop the seeds from the pumpkin and separate them from the flesh. Rinse them thoroughly, then leave them somewhere dry until they’re completely dried out.
Once dry, store your seeds somewhere cool and dry in a labelled paper envelope or container. When the time comes to start growing next year’s pumpkins, you’ll have your own seeds ready to sow.
Just remember that if your pumpkin was a hybrid variety, the plants you grow from the saved seed might not produce pumpkins that are exactly the same as the original.
For more advice on growing pumpkins, you can also read our pumpkin growing care guide.
Make a pumpkin bird feeder
Another fun way to reuse a pumpkin after Halloween is to turn it into a bird feeder.
Cut your pumpkin in half and remove the flesh and seeds. You can then fill the hollow centre with suitable bird seed and place it somewhere in the garden where you can watch birds visiting.
Choose a spot where birds have some protection from predators, while still giving them a clear view of their surroundings.
Keep an eye on the pumpkin as it starts to deteriorate and remove it once it’s no longer suitable. You can then add what’s left to your compost.
Give your pumpkin a second life in the garden
If your pumpkin is still in good condition, you don’t have to get rid of it immediatly
Once the halloween decorations have been removed, pumpkins can make a simple addition to an autumnal doorstep or garden display. Group them together with seasonal pots, foliage, lanterns and other autumn decorations for a display that can last a little longer.
And when your pumpkin eventually starts to deteriorate, it can still make its way back into the garden through your compost.
Before you put your pumpkin in the bin, think about whether it could be put to better use.
Compost it, cook with it, save the seeds, feed the birds or use it as an autumn garden display. There are plenty of ways to make the most of your pumpkin after Halloween.