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Don't Throw It Out, Recycle Your Old Jack-O'-Lantern To Feed Wildlife

BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ) — Halloween is over, the decorations are down, costumes are hung up, and candy has been devoured.

But what to do with with the Jack-O'-Lanterns sitting around and starting to mold?

Here are few ideas from the Department of Natural Resources:

  • Compost the watery pumpkin innards. The material is mostly water and will break down quickly. Once you're done with the pumpkin itself, that can be composted as well.
  • Allow the seeds to dry and then leave them outside for wildlife. Just don't season or salt the seeds before leaving them outside.
  • Plant the seeds. Start your own pumpkin patch. Pumpkin flowers are pollinated by squash bees that live in the ground. Leave a 20-foot area for each pumpkin and get a jump start for next year's Halloween.
  • Make them into bird-feeders. With some string, dowel rods, and seeds, any fresh pumpkin will do. Just be sure it's not already molding and you've got yourself a "snack-o'-lantern."
  • Just cut it up and leave it out for wildlife. Squirrels, chipmunks, gophers, and butterflies aren't picky. So it's ok to keep it simple.

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