what to do with leftover pumpkins

10 Ways to Recycle Your Pumpkins After Halloween

Eat the seeds. Flickr/Rachel Tayse. ...
Make pumpkin puree. ...
Warm up with pumpkin soup. ...
Make some all-purpose veggie stock. ...
Decorate for Thanksgiving. ...
Create a pumpkin spa treatment. ...
Make pumpkin skin chips. ...
Make a real pumpkin spice latte.

What do you do with leftover pumpkin after Halloween?

Don't Toss Your Leftover Jack-o'-Lanterns—Here are 6 Ways to Recycle Them

You Can Eat Most Pumpkins. Of course, you can always bring any clean, uncarved pumpkins to the kitchen to eat yourself! ...
Pass Along Your Pumpkins. ...
Feed the Birds. ...
Create Compost. ...
Play With Your Pumpkins. ...
Feed the Wildlife.

What animals will eat pumpkins?

“Squirrels, foxes, badgers and birds all enjoy them, so people could leave chopped up pumpkin outside in dishes for wild animals to eat if they choose. Wildlife can struggle to find food this time of year so some chunks of tasty pumpkin could be very welcome.

Can you throw pumpkins in the garbage?

Plain or carved pumpkins are often considered yard waste or compost and shouldn't be thrown in with the rest of your garbage.

How do you dispose of Halloween pumpkins for wildlife?

How to Recycle Pumpkins for Birds and Wildlife

Share Pumpkin Seeds with Birds. Many people roast and eat pumpkin seeds themselves, but you can also share them with birds. ...
Turn Your Pumpkin into a Bird Feeder. ...
Share Pumpkins with Butterflies. ...
Cut Up Pumpkins for Wildlife. ...
Feed Carved Pumpkins to Chickens.

Will wildlife eat pumpkins?

Is Pumpkin Good for Wildlife? Yes, both the pumpkin flesh and seeds are enjoyed by a number of animals. It's good for you, so you can bet all kinds of critters will enjoy it. Just be sure not to feed animals old pumpkins that have been painted, as the paint might be toxic.

Do rats eat pumpkins?

Rats eat a wide range of garden vegetables, including sweet corn cobs, pumpkins and squash and various root vegetables, such as carrot, parsnip, beet root and potato tubers. They will eat the crops while they are growing and in storage. They also eat fruits in storage such as apples, and seeds.

How do you get rid of old pumpkins?

Pumpkins are biodegradable, which makes them great candidates for composting. Even if you don't have a dedicated compost pile, you can still dispose of old pumpkins naturally in your home garden. Just dig out space in the soil, add the pumpkin (either whole or chopped into piece to expedite decomposition), and bury it.

Are rotting pumpkins dangerous?

No matter how you decide to reuse a soft or rotting pumpkin, be sure there is no wax or ash buildup left on the fruit's flesh – it can be toxic to animals and will not compost well. ... Once they are cleaned off, however, it is easy to turn a decaying pumpkin into something beautiful again as it is reused and recycled!

What can I do with old pumpkins and gourds?

Here are seven fun things to do with your old pumpkins.

Carved Pumpkins. Carved pumpkins will rot quickly, so it's best to get them off your stoop and put them to work as soon as possible.
Compost It. ...
Bury It. ...
Share It. ...
Uncarved Pumpkins. ...
Make Pumpkin Puree. ...
Eat The Seeds. ...
Turn It Into A Planter.

What can I spray on pumpkins to keep squirrels away?

Mix about a gallon of water, one small bottle of hot sauce, and a teaspoon or so of soap. Put it in a spray bottle and coat the pumpkin inside and out. Feel free to add pepper flakes — squirrels can't handle the heat.

Will squirrels eat pumpkins?

Pumpkins are not a squirrel's favorite food. They eat them because instinct tells them they need to fatten up for the winter. If you give them tastier fare—say, peanuts, sunflower seeds, stale bread, crackers—they'll have their fill without spilling pumpkin guts all over the yard.

Do birds eat raw pumpkin?

Some backyard birds also will eat pumpkin flesh if it's opened and offered to them. As an alternative, dropping the non-seed portion of the pumpkin onto the compost pile will not only keep it out of the waste stream but will also add a lot of active nutrients to the pile.

What kills a rat instantly?

Snap Traps

The first is the traditional wooden trap that uses a spring-loaded bar to snap down on a rat, which kills it instantly. The second is a newer plastic trap that features a set of sharp jaws that kill the rat instantly once triggered and snap shut.

How do you keep rats away from pumpkins?

One way to keep pests from gnawing on your pumpkins and to keep them from rotting as quickly is to coat the outside with a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Hairspray or acrylic finish spray also works to keep pests from biting the outside of the pumpkin.

Is it better to keep a carved pumpkin inside or outside?

When you're decorating your home for Halloween, you can absolutely display jack-o-lanterns inside. Just keep in mind that pumpkins fare best in dry, cool places. Where to put carved pumpkins is up to you, but we wouldn't recommend putting a carved pumpkin in your bathroom where it's wet and warm, for example!

Can you donate pumpkins?

Better yet, donate leftover pumpkins to an animal sanctuary.

Additionally, Pumpkins for Pigs is a resource of animal sanctuaries and farms that accept donated pumpkins, which are then fed to pigs.

Is mold on pumpkin dangerous?

At first sign, or smell of decay, throw it out! Rot is mold and mold can make you bad sick. Not to mention, but, ok here's the mention, Its nasty to have to move a gooey rotted pumpkin.

What does a rotten pumpkin look like?

How to tell if Pumpkins are bad, rotten or spoiled? When a pumpkin goes bad, it will first begin to get soft on the bottom and then start leaking liquid. This is followed very quickly by mold in multiple colors, please throw it out before it gets to this point! They degrade very fast once they begin to get soft.

Do pumpkins come back every year?

Every year, the most common question people ask us is, “Do you have to replant the pumpkins every year, or do they just come up on their own?” The answer is Yes! We have to replant every single year, buying new seeds, which is our #1 expense in growing pumpkins.

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.

How long will uncarved pumpkins last outside?

Uncarved pumpkins can last two to three months if kept out of the hot sun or freezing temperatures. Carved pumpkins may last only a few days, so time your carving accordingly if you want to display them on Halloween.

Are pumpkins good to compost?

Pumpkins are a great addition to a compost pile. Even if you don't have your own compost pile or curbside compost collection, many communities create drop off sites for pumpkin disposal immediately after Halloween. ... While they are natural, the seeds can germinate and start growing new pumpkin plants in a compost pile.