Properly Disposing of Your Fall Pumpkin: Eco-Friendly Practices to Follow

As the fall season comes to an end and the cold weather sets in, it’s time to bid farewell to the pumpkins adorning your front porch. But before you toss them in the trash, consider the sustainable options for disposing of your pumpkins.

Sure, you could simply throw them away, but there are so many better ways to give your pumpkins a second life. From cooking to planting, there are plenty of creative ways to reuse your pumpkins and reduce waste.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, you can even watch a thousand-pound pumpkin get carved on Halloween – now that’s a sight to see!

But if you’re ready to part ways with your fall pumpkins, here are some eco-friendly practices to follow:

Compost: The city of Fort Collins recommends composting your pumpkins in your backyard or through a local composting system. Some cities even provide residents with green bins for composting.

Donate them to ranches: Local ranches will gladly take your pumpkins as animal feed. Just make sure there’s no paint or wax on them, as it can be toxic to the animals.

Attend pumpkin drop-off events: Many communities host pumpkin drop-off events for those who don’t want to compost their pumpkins themselves. It’s a great way to ensure your pumpkins are disposed of properly.

However, there are some things you shouldn’t do when getting rid of your pumpkins:

Don’t leave them out for wildlife: Pumpkins left outside can attract unwanted wildlife, especially bears who are looking to bulk up before winter hibernation.

Don’t feed them to wildlife: While donating your pumpkins to ranches is fine, feeding them to wildlife yourself can actually do more harm than good. It can spread disease and disrupt the natural ecosystem.

So, don’t let your pumpkins rot on your porch after Halloween. Instead, follow these tips to sustainably dispose of them and give them a new purpose. Your pumpkins will thank you, and so will the environment.