Don’t bin that pumpkin! Feed the earth instead

The Great Green Team

4 October 2024

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Composting

Remember, remember, come the first of November,

Halloween brought fun and mirth,

But don’t let that pumpkin

Rot in a wastebin

When it could nourish the earth.

Along with all the tricks and treats, every year Halloween brings horror stories about the millions of pumpkins that end up in landfill or incineration contributing to greenhouse gases.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Now is a great time to get composting so your pumpkin waste can go in a compost bin, not a waste bin.

In composting terms pumpkins are nitrogen-rich Greens to balance with carbon-rich Browns. If they have been used as lanterns, you should remove all items used as decoration, such as candles, wax, foil etc. Smash the pumpkins or cut them up into pieces – a larger surface area will attract more composting microorganisms, resulting in faster breakdown. Pumpkins can be smashed with a hammer or spade. We also find the cutters in Halloween lantern carving sets to be useful for cutting the pumpkin into pieces.

Master composter Rod Weston prefers to use the back of a spade as it is ‘quicker, easier, and produces more of an easily composted mush’.

Pumpkins are easier to smash if they have been kept in the warm and have started to rot.

For loads of ideas and tips on different methods of using and composting pumpkins, see ‘Composting Pumpkins’ on www.carryoncomposting.com

Smashing pumpkins

Why not make an occasion of pumpkin disposal and go along to a Pumpkin Smash? These are organised events where people are invited to take their used pumpkin lanterns to be smashed up in a variety of fun ways and then composted, putting nutrients back into the soil.

Check to see if there’s a Pumpkin Smash taking place near you. They’re a great way to teach kids about composting.

If you live in the Leicester area you probably know about the popular Pumpkin Smash at the Stokes Wood Allotments site. These events are usually followed by a practical session on composting pumpkins, including using a Green Johanna composter. People are encouraged to also collect pumpkins from friends, schools or pubs to help reduce waste.

 Let’s hope this great idea catches on and we see more Pumpkin Smashes all over the country.

TIP: If you use battery-powered tealights inside a lantern, the insides will be kept fresh enough to eat later.

SO:

Don’t bin that pumpkin –

It’s better to get a Johanna!

For a happy Halloween ending – get children involved in composting by letting them smash the pumpkin with a hammer and add the pieces to the compost bin, stirring in well together with woody garden waste, autumn leaves or scrunched paper and torn cardboard.

If you’d rather eat your pumpkin – yes, the whole pumpkin – this recipe’s for you.

We got it from Chef Dan at Kitche, the food waste fighting app. We tried and tested it and found it totally delicious.

ZERO WASTE PUMPKIN SOUP

Serves – 4

Time – 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

1 medium large pumpkin

3 large onions

3-4 garlic cloves,

Olive oil

1 litre vegetable stock

1 can coconut milk (optional)

Sprig of rosemary

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

Method

1. Wash, cut in half and gut your pumpkin, making sure to separate the flesh and seeds.

2. Crush garlic and finely chop the onions and add them to the pan, add oil and simmer until slightly golden.

3. Chop remaining pumpkin into large cubes and add them to a large pan with the pulp.

4. Finely chop your rosemary and add to the pan with your bay leaves, which you can leave whole.

5. Add your veg stock, making sure the ingredients are covered.

6. Add coconut milk if using.

7. Put on lid and let the pan come to the boil. Once bubbling, turn the heat down so the soup is simmering. Sort out the seeds while waiting.

8. The soup will take at least an hour to cook. Make sure the pumpkin skin is soft (this can take a little longer depending on the type of pumpkin).

9. Once it is ready, remember to take out the bay leaves and add salt and pepper to taste. Use a hand blender to make the soup smooth and creamy. Add water if required until it is your desired consistency. Can be stored in the fridge or freezer.

What to do with your pumpkin seeds?

The seeds make a great garnish. Lay them out on a baking tray and lightly salt them. They only take 5 – 10 minutes and burn easily. If you don’t want the seeds on soup, save them till spring and plant them in your garden.

***

 We also like this idea for pumpkin seeds from the organic online store Abel and Cole:

Give seeds a rinse, then toss in a little olive oil, salt and paprika and fry them for 5 minutes until golden brown – a great snack to serve at Halloween parties.

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