This is a fun Halloween project for gardeners! It’s silly and quirky, and it puts a smile on everyone’s face. Turn your Jack-o-Lantern into a Jack-o-PLANTern this year for a fun garden therapy project using these simple DIY instructions.
I love decorating with pumpkins. I get giddy when I start to see them available at the farmer’s markets and grocery store. I applaud those who even go through the effort of growing one themselves to carve and decorate with later.
These jack-o-planterns are a fun gardeners take on the classic jack-o-lantern. You can use up the last of the plants remaining from your summer and fall planters, or get some on discount from the garden centre.
This quick project is also fun to do with the kiddos. Let me show you!
How to Make a Jack-o-Plantern
Making your own is a really simple project. Heading out to a garden centre will be the most time consuming and, might I add, dangerous. You will have to show some restraint if you don’t want to come home with a carload of colourful grasses, kale, and other fall beauties.
Materials
- Pumpkin
- Soil
- Grasses, cabbage, sedum, & ornamental kale
- Marker
- Knife
Make It!
Cut the top off your pumpkin to make a hole in the top. If it is fairly empty, then you don’t need to spend a bunch of time scooping it out. I removed the seeds and roasted them and left the rest of the junk in there. It will all compost together in the end anyhow.
Use you marker to draw a face on the best side of the pumpkin and use the knife to carve out the holes.
Now add some soil to the bottom of the pumpkin. You can use a container mix soil, although I found that my plants had quite a bit of container soil in them and I didn’t really need to add much more in the way of peat moss or perlite.
Contrary to typical container planting instructions, you really want to pack the soil down at the bottom to create some firm areas where the plants can sit. These planters will not last long enough for the roots to struggle and will have lots of moisture and organic matter from the pumpkin itself.
I also don’t think drainage holes are necessary but add them if you choose.
Now for the fun part (it is even more fun than carving a jack-o-lantern)! Plant some ‘hair’ with grasses…
…and ‘hats’ with cabbage.
Fill soil around the roots of the plants (remove the plastic pots) and pack it in through the eyes and mouth. Leave space for sedum and ornamental kale as eyes and teeth.
I tried swapping out the kale and sedum in different jack-o-lantern eyes until I got the look that I liked.
Set your pumpkin out in the cool fall air and water periodically. After Halloween, remove the plants and make a pretty fall planter or use them to pretty up the garden. Compost the whole pumpkin and the soil and you will be well on your way to a greener garden next year.
Jack-o-Plantern FAQ
It depends entirely on the weather conditions. The cooler the pumpkin, the longer it will last. If possible, keep it from sitting in the sun. If it’s warm, your pumpkin may last only a few days. Cooler temperatures and it could last a couple of weeks.
The most important aspect is picking a good pumpkin. Avoid any with soft spots or visible damage or browning.
Sun will accelerate decomposition, while rain will promote rot. Snow can help preserve the pumpkin if it sticks around, but freezing and then thawing will end up with a pumpkin puddle. Your best bet is to place it in a shady, covered area, and wait for the cool weather to kick in.
I have found that those tips and hacks like adding petroleum jelly or bleach actually don’t work, and means you can’t compost your pumpkin after. Read more about that here.
More Fun Pumpkin Ideas
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
