Before they migrated to North America, the Irish and Scottish immigrants who established the tradition of jack-o’-lanterns, carved turnips. In the New World, they started carving pumpkins, which were readily available and far more dramatic. Since then, the Halloween tradition they established in the 19th century has only grown more popular and sees more and more pumpkins discarded every year.
How many? “One billion (with a B!),” exclaims composter Lauren Click, and that’s not good, because not everyone responsibly disposes of their jack-o’-lanterns responsibly.
If you care about soil, wildlife and the environment in general, there really is a right way and a wrong way to dispose of pumpkins after Halloween. A gardening expert, a composting expert and a worm farmer explain the difference.
Can You Compost Pumpkins?
Definitely, yes. “There are many ways to compost a pumpkin,” says Click. “I chop mine up into smaller pieces and feed it to my indoor worm compost farm. You can compost all parts of a pumpkin as long as it is not treated with chemicals, has no paint (so, no painted pumpkins), no glitter, and no plastic/wax/metal candle residue. You can even compost moldy/gross pumpkins!”
It’s important to chop up the pumpkin and not throw it on the compost pile whole, adds UK gardener David Denyer. “Pumpkins decompose slowly if left whole because of their thick rind and high water content. Because of this, adding them straight to your compost can throw off the balance, making the heap turn slimy or even anaerobic, which stops it from breaking down properly.”
How to Recycle Pumpkins After Halloween
One option is to give them to animal rescues and local farmers to use as feed for pigs, chickens and livestock. Click loves this option because, as she says, many farmers compost manure, which makes it a win-win situation. The pumpkin winds up providing nourishment in the soil for more pumpkins.
If you live in the city, worm farmer Scott Kent has another suggestion: “Take your leftover pumpkins is to a worm farm! Composting worms, like red wigglers, consume organic waste and create worm castings from it. Pumpkins, and most all other cucurbits for that matter, are among composting worms’ most favorite foods.”
For a quick way to recycle pumpkins after Halloween that you can do at home, cut the pumpkin into small chunks and bury them in your garden. “This works like a green manure,” says Denyer, “adding organic matter below the surface where it can decompose safely without attracting any pests or spreading disease.”
Can You Leave Pumpkins Out for Wildlife?
This is generally a bad idea, say our experts. Click worries about attracting wildlife to areas in which they can be harmed, but beyond that, decomposing pumpkins are not the best source of nutrition. “The acidity and mold that develops as they rot can make hedgehogs, insects, and birds unwell,” says Denyer, who lives where hedgehogs are a thing.
The danger to wildlife increases if the pumpkin contains toxic materials. If you wouldn’t feed, paint, glitter or candle wax to a pet, you shouldn’t feed it to wildlife.
Creative Ways to Repurpose Old Pumpkins
Before carving a pumpkin, most people remove the seeds. Don’t throw them out. When you roast them, they make a delicious snack. After the seeds are gone, the rind makes a good (if temporary) planter for displaying your fall blooms on the porch. Just remember to line the inside to prevent dirt from spilling out from the face you carved.
Composting may be the best way to recycle a pumpkin rind, but if you’re okay with a less dramatic jack-o’-lantern, a smaller pumpkin like a Hokkaido or Baby-Bear can serve a double purpose. Unlike large carving pumpkins with thick, waxy skins, these smaller varieties have thin skins and a high sugar content that make them delicious in soup.
What Should You Avoid Doing With Old Pumpkins?
Don’t just toss them in the garden, warns Denyer: “Pumpkins are high in water and sugars, which means they quickly break down into a thick, slimy layer that blocks air circulation and traps moisture around plant roots. This can then encourage fungal problems, like grey mold or powdery mildew, which can spread to nearby plants.”
FAQ
Can You Put Pumpkins in Your Yard Waste Bin?
It’s important to check with the local waste management rules, because some communities don’t allow pumpkins in yard waste bins. If your community allows them, remove candle wax and other inorganic materials.
Painted pumpkins present a problem: They are organic, but because of the paint, you shouldn’t throw them in organic waste, and some communities prohibit organic materials in the general trash. In such cases, cutting up and burying your pumpkins after Halloween is probably the best solution.
How Long Does It Take a Pumpkin to Decompose?
If you leave a whole pumpkin out in the field, it will start decomposing about eight or 12 weeks after it’s fully ripe. Once you cut a pumpkin into smaller pieces and throw them in a compost pile, the pieces will start to rot in five to 10 days.
Full decomposition depends on the moisture content of the air and soil, and on the temperature. It occurs faster when there’s lots of moisture and the air is warm.
Can Painted Pumpkins Be Composted?
Generally, no. Most paints contain toxic chemicals that can poison the compost and the soil on which you spread it. This isn’t necessarily true for all paints, including some water-soluble plant- or egg-based children’s paints, but if you don’t know where the paint came from, keep the painted pumpkin out of the compost.
A paint may be safe for kids, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe for composting. Crayola, a manufacturer of safe-to-use paints for children, recommends using them on pumpkins but warns that those pumpkins should not be consumed (meaning they should not go in the compost).
About the Experts
- Lauren Click is the founder and executive director of Let’s Go Compost, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit making composting affordable, accessible, and practical across the United States.
- David Denyer is a UK-based gardening expert at Eflorist with more than 35 years of experience in the industry.
- Scott Kent is a full time worm farmer and soil microbiologist who operates the site Hungry Worms. He supplies composting worms for businesses, schools, and home gardeners.
Sources
- Library of Congress Blogs: The Origins of Halloween Traditions; (2021)
- Village of Whispering Pines, N.C.: Do not place Halloween pumpkins in the yard waste bins; (2022)
- Fork in the road: How to compost a whole pumpkin; (2024)
- Crayola: Which Crayola products are recommended for pumpkin decorating?; (2026)
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