what to do with gourds after halloween

Don't Trash That Gourd! 11 Clever Things You Can Do With Leftover Pumpkins

Treats for backyard critters and birds. ...
Composting. ...
Gratitude pumpkin. ...
Ice bucket. ...
Feed for rescue animals. ...
Autumn centerpiece. ...
Gourmet treat of roasted pumpkin seeds. ...
Glitzy and glamorous tablescape.

What can I do with leftover gourds and pumpkins?

What Can You Do with Leftover Halloween Pumpkins and Gourds?

Make a catapult for pumpkin chunkin'. ...
Bake the seeds @ 350 with salt and olive oil from a healthy, tasty treat. ...
Construct a squirrel feeder box and add pumpkin seeds. ...
Make your own pie filling. ...
Scoop out the insides and make a birdfeeder. ...
Donate pumpkins to your local farm or zoo.

Can decorative gourds be saved?

A stack of gourds makes an eye-catching decoration inside your home or outside in the yard. Fresh, uncured gourds may last for a few weeks before going bad. If you dry and preserve your gourds, though, they'll last for many years.

What do you do with gourds?

They're often used in fall cornucopias, as well as carved into luminaries, flower pots, dishes, and more. Meanwhile, the larger hard-skinned gourds from the Lagenaria genus work well for birdhouses, bottles, and ladles. There is no shortcut to drying gourds for crafts.

Will animals eat gourds?

Deer, raccoons, squirrels, and possums will readily devour the flesh of pumpkins and other pulpy gourds. ... Strong animals like deer or mature raccoons can penetrate the toughened outer shell of these fruits, but if too much time elapses before they locate the stash, the insides can ferment or rot making them inedible.

Can pumpkins be dried like gourds?

Find a dark, cool, dry and well-ventilated place to dry the gourds (damp rooms can cause the gourds to rot). Place them on a wire drying rack for proper air circulation, making sure the gourds do not touch. If possible, use fans to dry them more efficiently. 3.

What can you do with leftover Halloween candy?

Sweet Ways to Donate Halloween Candy

Operation Gratitude. Operation Gratitude sends care packages to U.S. troops stationed overseas and first responders stateside. ...
Halloween Candy Buyback Program. ...
Soldiers' Angels. ...
Ronald McDonald House Charities. ...
Operation Stars and Stripes. ...
Operation Shoebox and Any Soldier.

How do you keep pumpkins and gourds from rotting?

How to Preserve Pumpkins & Gourds

Prepare a mixture of bleach, water and dish soap. (One gallon water, 2 T. ...
Soak real gourds for 15 to 30 minutes.
Use a tub or even your kitchen sink.
Rinse and dry well.
Before adding to your decor, it's optional to give your pumpkins a quick coat of spray matte sealer. It helps preserve them even longer.

How long do gourds last after picking?

Curing And Storing Gourds

After the one-week drying process place the gourds in a warm, dark, dry area for three to four weeks. This is the real curing process. After this, decorative gourds keep for three to four months. Adding a coat of wax or paint extends the life of the gourd an additional two months.

How does vinegar prevent pumpkins from rotting?

Brush Vinegar and Lemon Juice on the outside of pumpkin (add 2 tablespoons white vinegar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to a quart of water). Rub petroleum jelly on the inside and carved parts of pumpkin. This is supposed to keep the insides from drying out and changing its shape.

Do Gourds come back every year?

Gourds will grow and dry just fine left right on the ground. Then, at the end of the year when they are totally brown, go get them and put them somewhere that is dry. Click to see full answer.

Why are gourds not edible?

“They're small and hard-rinded and very bitter, so they're not typically eaten.” Of course, there are some gourd relatives that make for good eating. Edible varieties tend to go by “squash” or “pumpkin,” valued for the sweetness and tenderness of their flesh.

Are gourds poisonous to dogs?

Gourds are part of the plant family Cucurbitaceae and are considered generally safe for dogs to eat. ... Sparse anecdotal evidence exists of dogs becoming sick after eating this squash. As always, if you have any doubts about a food's safety, don't feed it to your dog.

Will squirrels eat gourds?

Carved or uncarved, pumpkins look great on the front porch or doorstep come October. But the gourds are, technically, food. So it's no surprise they attract critters like squirrels! And not everyone's available to sit on the stoop and shoo them away all day.

Do rats eat gourds?

Rats and mice love gourd seeds, and they eat a hole into the gourds and eat up all the seeds.

What Gourds are not edible?

Tips to avoid poisoning

Ornamental gourds (colocynths): These are all toxic and should not be consumed. ...
Edible squash, purchased commercially or grown in garden vegetable patches: Try a small piece of raw squash and if the taste is bitter, spit it out and throw it all away: it should not be eaten, even when cooked.

How long does it take to dry a gourd?

Depending on the size of your gourds, the entire process of drying can take 1-6 months. First, you'll notice that the outer skin will harden and the colors will begin to set. This generally happens in the first few weeks. The internal drying takes place next, which usually takes another 4 weeks.

Does Hairspray preserve pumpkins?

Hairspray. Just as quickly as it'll hold your hairstyle, hairspray is a beloved pumpkin preservative because it is also said to act as a critter repellant. You can spray both inside and outside of a carved pumpkin.

What do you dip pumpkins in to preserve?

Petroleum jelly or vegetable oil will help keep the moisture in and keep your pumpkin looking good. Another option is to use a store-bought pumpkin preservative spray like Pumpkin Fresh, which contains fungicide (to kill the mold) and lubricants (to keep the pumpkin from drying out).

Can I freeze leftover Halloween candy?

Freeze them for later: Candy can freeze surprisingly well, so you can save some of your Halloween spoils so they don't, well, spoil.

Is it OK to freeze candy?

Use Caution When Freezing.

Freezing is a popular method for keeping candy over long periods of time. However, not all sweets are suited for the freezer. While toffee and truffles can be frozen for up to 2 months, avoid freezing candy with fruits and nuts.

Can Halloween candy go bad?

It's generally fine to eat candy past its expiration date, though the quality and texture does decline after a certain point.