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Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Hello, I was wondering what to do with an 1100 pound pumpkin after the seeds have been taken out.

Last year my pumpkin was about 500 pounds and after I took the seeds out I dug a big hole where I planned on planting my 2019 Pumpkin, and placed the entire 500 pounds (in cut up pieces into the hole) and covered it with dirt.

This year however, my pumpkin is twice the size and I was wondering if putting the entire 1000 pounds into a larger hole would work out OK by the spring time. What I mean is do you think it would break down sufficiently By mid April?

I’m hoping that it would make very rich compost That the 2020 pumpkin would love..

Does this sound like an OK idea?

Glenn?

Thanks Joe

10/28/2019 11:07:15 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I love it that you are already thinking about next year.

We used to dig a trench along where next years main vine was going to be, and as deeply as possible, bury the chopped up pumpkin and recover with soil.

Now, we donate the pumpkins after they have been jack o lanterns, to a local farmer who feeds them to his pigs and cows.

10/29/2019 12:14:38 AM

Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Thanks Glenn, that’s an excellent idea!

10/29/2019 12:29:35 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Probably not a good idea to put them into our food chain if you used any systemic pesticides.

10/29/2019 9:22:40 AM

Central NY

Way to go JOE!!!...there’s nothing like growing your first half ton pumpkin..so happy for you!!!!...huge congrats, you guys really work for it up there!!...gotta go with bill on this one though , why chance mucking up the works?...yer soil is getting dialed in..best of luck next year!!!!

10/29/2019 10:30:08 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

You can chop it up and scatter it over your patch. By spring. most will be gone and soaked into the soil. There will just be some thin, dry pieces that will break up easily with a tiller and decompose in the soil real fast. Or you can pick them up then and put them in the compost pile. If you have lots of deer like I do, they will come in and eat the pumpkin and deposit their little fertilizer pellets. They really like them after they have been frozen.

10/29/2019 12:18:08 PM

Midway, UT

I think it is good to get as much fun out of the pumpkin as you can before you compost/donate it. This was from a few years back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqrNvOOe6Sk

10/29/2019 2:34:41 PM

Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Thank you every one!
Thanks Porkchop!

I didn’t use any pesticides or insecticides :)

10/29/2019 6:45:45 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

I dump mine near the woods behind my house and the deer inhale them.

10/29/2019 11:32:54 PM

Central Illinois

It may not be a good idea to leave it on your property for animals to eat, they may come back and eat next years crop while its growing.

10/30/2019 7:06:24 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

My area is over-run with deer and other critters, so I use fencing to keep them out. I also hunt them, got a buck in my timber just last evening with my crossbow.

10/30/2019 10:23:28 AM

Whidbey Island

I donate mine to a local farmer. Pigs, goats and cattle love 'em.

10/30/2019 4:05:07 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

The deer never mess with my gardens but they love the winter rye cover crops I plant.

10/31/2019 11:18:26 PM

Grittyville, WA

Just think its interesting... the deer have no interest in mine. They will shred my fruit trees in May or June... Different deer behavior here. Mine going to pigs mostly.

11/1/2019 12:27:02 AM