5 things to do with carved pumpkins instead of throwing them away

Monroe Trombly, The Columbus Dispatch
·3 min read
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That jack-o'-lantern you carved oh so carefully for Halloween?

It'll soon begin to rot, in large part because pumpkins lose about 90 percent of their moisture content when they're carved.

But wait! There are plenty of ways to dispose of pumpkins that don't involve landfills.

More than 1 billion pounds of pumpkin get tossed in the trash each year, contributing to the 30.3 million tons of annual food waste in the U.S. Food waste left to decompose produces methane, a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.

To avoid contributing to food waste, not to mention making a mess in the garbage bin, here are five things you can do with pumpkins leftover from Halloween.

Compost your pumpkin

The easiest way to get rid of pumpkin shells is by throwing them into a garden or flower bed or behind a shed or garage. There it will decompose. Backyard composting is the best option, according to the city of Columbus' RecyColumbus.org website.

You can also tap other area composting efforts, such as the Compost Exchange, to help dispose of pumpkins sustainably or look on Facebook or Nextdoor community pages for people who might be looking for extra pumpkins for various reasons.

Cut your pumpkin up for wildlife

The Delaware Soil & Water Conservation District says placing small chunks of pumpkin in the grass or flower beds can serve as a snack for deer, possums, raccoons and other scavengers visiting your backyard.

Drop them off at a Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio location

If you're not wanting visitors, the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio has you covered.

Below are the six locations where you can drop off decaying pumpkins, jack o' lanterns and gourds until Nov. 11 or even later. Painted pumpkins or those that have been drawn on with permanent markers will not be accepted.

  • Columbus: Through Nov. 30 (Monday-Friday) at the Division of Refuse Collection, 2100 Alum Creek Drive, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. (excluding Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day)

  • Dublin: Through Dec. 9 at the Dublin Service Center, 6555 Shier Rings Road

  • Grandview: Through Nov. 11 at 1525 Goodale Blvd. (next to the food waste drop-off)

  • Grove City: Through Nov. 27 at Fryer Park, 3899 Orders Road

  • Hilliard: Through Dec. 2 at 3770 Municipal Way (next to the food waste drop-off)

  • New Albany: Through Dec. 2 at New Albany Public Service, 7800 Bevelhymer Road.

The City of Bexley also invites residents participating in the curbside food waste pick-up program to leave pumpkins at the curb on food waste collection days.

Give your pumpkins a proper burial

You can allow your jack-o'-lantern to rest in peace, or rot in peace, by burying it in your yard. Burying a pumpkin allows worms and other critters to turn its shell into fertile soil, according to the Delaware Soil & Water Conservation District. Just make sure all seeds are removed first unless you want to start your very own pumpkin patch. (Bonus: The seeds themselves can be made into a tasty treat for your family by seasoning and toasting them in the oven.)

Pumpkins are piled up for purchase at the 2022 Circleville Pumpkin Show on Oct. 19.
Pumpkins are piled up for purchase at the 2022 Circleville Pumpkin Show on Oct. 19.

Make a temporary bird feeder out of the shell

The conservation district in Delaware County also suggests turning your old pumpkin shell into a bird feeder. But it's best to make one with a fresh pumpkin, as moldy ones can be harmful to birds.

Monroe Trombly covers breaking and trending news.

mtrombly@dispatch.com

@monroetrombly

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Here's what to do with rotting pumpkins now that Halloween is over