As cosy weather and the dark, spooky season draw closer, a luminous winter squash rises from the ground. The pumpkin flourishes as a vibrant, ribboned, orange squash, where annually its appearance haunts trick-or-treaters on the Celtic festival of Halloween. 

The History of the Pumpkin

Pumpkins have not always been in the UK. Did you know pumpkins are originally native to North America? They were then later introduced to England by the French in the 16^th century. 

In the UK, pumpkins were not the first staple of Halloween. Turnips were the original Jack-o-lanterns of their day but were later replaced by pumpkins in the 20th century. Pumpkins were found to be easier to carve frightening faces to ward off evil spirits.

Environmental Impact of Throwing Pumpkins Away 

After the autumnal eve of Halloween, 18 tonnes of pumpkins are wasted each year in the UK. Only 30% of pumpkin flesh is consumed. Most pumpkins end up in landfills, leading to anaerobic decomposition, whereby they are broken down by microorganisms with a lack of oxygen. This leads to the production of methane, which could have a greater environmental impact on climate change. 

5 Alternative Ways to Use Your Pumpkin

Before you purchase a pumpkin this Halloween, think about what you could create, bake or grow with this squash this scary season. Leaving your pumpkin out for too long after Halloween can be detrimental to small mammals like Hedgehogs – so get creative and have some fun with reusing your pumpkin!

1. Planting a pumpkin patch

Gardeners love this misshapen fruit within their patches for its ease of growing and storing. When you hollow out your pumpkin, be sure to keep the seeds. Clean and dry them, and then store them to plant out in spring in a sunny area with plenty of shelter from winds and rain to ensure an optimal long growing season.

2. Scary sweets pumpkin bowl 

Don’t have a terrifying bowl to give out sweets to trick-or-treaters? Create a sweet bowl using a pumpkin. Use a clean carved pumpkin and line it with cloth, filling it up with sweets.

3. Cook and bake autumnal treats 

You won’t get a much more autumnal ingredient than a pumpkin… You can make use of both the pumpkin insides when you carve it, and the walls and flesh once Halloween has passed. Why not create some tasty treats such as muffins and bread? Or how about creating a hearty, warming meal such as pumpkin soup, pasta or stew? 

Experiment later and freeze pumpkin flesh to use for dishes throughout the year. You could even create a pumpkin sauce and then try out your barista skills making some delicious pumpkin spice beverages.   

4. Pumpkin bird feeder 

Take extra care to give birds a variety of food this autumn.* Using the tough outer pumpkin skin for a temporary bird feeder helps your garden's birds dine on an easy-to-pick pumpkin seed snack. 

Be sure to keep it clean and ensure you don’t leave it out for too long, as it can rot, making wildlife unwell and creating a greater risk of disease transmission – chop it up and add it to the compost heap when it’s finished…

5. Create compost for your garden or local community

Need rich soil for your plants? Pumpkins make a good source of growth, containing 90% water. They also contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to help plants blossom within the environment. If the flesh isn’t suitable for eating, cut it into small pieces for your garden or community compost.

Keep Wildlife Safe this Halloween

As well as pumpkins, many of the other decorations and costumes that come out on Halloween can have an impact on wildlife. We've got some top tips on how to make your Halloween plastic-free and safe for wildlife, from avoiding fake webs to making paper decorations. Click below to read more...

Tips for a wildlife-friendly Halloween