Forestry England has warned people against dumping pumpkins in the forest.
(Picture: Mark Duffel/Unsplash)As Halloween takes over and we dive deep into autumnal trends, many of us are buying pumpkins of colours, shapes and sizes to celebrate the season.
Recent research suggests that this year, Brits will buy over 8 million pumpkins. But, what are families supposed to do after the spooky season is over and their pumpkin is starting to look worse for wear?
Some online guidance suggests that people should leave their pumpkins in the woods so that the wildlife can enjoy them. However, Forestry England is asking the public to avoid doing that.
Their Assistant Ecologist, Kate Wollen, explains: “We see many posts on social media encouraging people to leave pumpkins in the woods for wildlife to eat, but please do not do this. Pumpkins are not natural to the woodland and while some wildlife may enjoy a tasty snack it can make others, such as hedgehogs, very poorly.
“Feeding pumpkins, or any other food in the forest, to birds, foxes, badgers, deer, and boar can make them unwell and can spread disease.
“Pumpkins are also often decorated and have things such as candles in them. Animals eating the pumpkins could then eat a foreign object and this could kill them.”
Instead, Wollen advises that we repurpose our pumpkins in a number of creative ways. Here are
1. Cook a delicious pumpkin soup
Use your pumpkin to cook up a feast by roasting your pumpkin until soft with an oil of your choice and some seasoning, and then using the blender to turn it into a soup.
You can use our spicy pumpkin soup recipe to make Thai pumpkin and coconut soup.
Alternatively, if soup is not your thing, you can make a vegetable lasagna or a rustic pumpkin pasta dish using the recipes here.
2. Add the pumpkin to your compost for your vegetable garden
You can use your Halloween pumpkin to make compost and enrich the soul of your vegetable garden.
Wollen explains: “They are 90 per cent water so are a great composting material, adding a great source of nitrogen and moisture to my compost bin each year.”
3. Make a pumpkin face mask
Pumpkins are loaded with vitamins A, C and E, which are skincare heroes that fight wrinkles.
So, why not puree your pumpkin using a food processor, put in some of your favourite natural skincare ingredients and make a face mask with it?
You could consider adding some honey or greek yoghurt to it, for instance.
4. Create a pumpkin bird feeder
The tough outer skin of the pumpkin is the perfect shape to act as a bird feeder.
Simply cut the pumpkin in half, create holes for a rope or a wire to go through, and hang it up on a tree branch with your favourite bird feed inside it.
However, the bird feeder will have to be removed once it starts to rot.
5. Turn your pumpkin into a bowl
Add to your autumnal home decor by using your pumpkin as a bowl.
Whether you choose to store Halloween candy in it or some decorative stones, this one’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
6. Give it to someone else
If you don’t have the time or resources to deal with your pumpkins, consider donating them to zoos, animal shelters, farms or community gardens.
The experts here will be able to feed it to the animal that can consume it or use it for compost.
