The beloved carved pumpkin is a staple of American streets during the festive Halloween period. However, throwing them away afterward seems so wasteful. But I have a fantastic way to repurpose your spooky Jack O'Lanterns that will give them new life.
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Whether you have left your pumpkin outside in the rain, or slightly more protected inside, this little repurposing trick will be great. You can even make it another project with your little ones. They will love to see spooky old Jack live for another season.
The Jack O'Lanterns Pumpkin Planter
This is my favorite way to reuse retired Jack O'Lanterns after the festive spooky season. Simply fill the open top with beautiful flowers and watch it bring color to your steps, garden, and driveways. These repurposed plant pots are sure to get your neighbors talking.
Pumpkins, being the natural ingredient they are, are full of rich nutrients for plants. By placing a bunch of rooted flowers inside your old Jack O'Lanterns, they will make the most of them, and flourish in the late October-November season.
- Soak your old carven pumpkin in a mixture of one part vinegar to four parts water. This will make the pumpkin stay fresher for longer, delaying the decay.
- Now, line the inside of the Jack O'Lanterns with some burlap or hemp sacking. This will help your repurposed pumpkin hold the soil. Make sure it covers all the holes carved for the face but leaves the top open.
- Next, put some gravel or sand at the bottom of the pumpkin. Doing this will allow the water to drain and stop old Jack from decomposing too fast.
- Fill the old Jack O'Lanterns with soil, leaving ample space for your new seeds or grown fall plants. Get good rich soil for the season. The repurposed pumpkin will provide some extra nutrients for the flowers, but it can't do all the work, especially if it's shriveled.
- Finally, find yourself some beautiful fall plants or flowers. My favorite fall-blooming flowers are Asters or Dalhias. They will remain bright and full well into the fall. Place these in your soil and then water liberally.
With your newly replanted Jack O'Lanterns, you can choose to keep the face outwards, for the extra spooks, or turn it inward to make it a little more friendly. Personally, I am a fan of the leering smile of jack with a bunch of beautiful flowers coming out of his head.
