Why You Shouldn’t Toss Your Jack-O’-Lanterns in the Trash

The Sioux Falls Landfill doesn't need your jack-o'-lanterns. But, your garden or compost box will benefit from them.

With the changing of the seasons, down come the Halloween decorations, and now time to pull out the Thanksgiving and Christmas decor. But, wait. What are you going to do with those jack-o'-lanterns? So much talent and artwork for the holiday, and now it's almost forgotten.

First of all, I hope you saved the pumpkin and seeds you scooped out. Roasting the seeds with some sea salt will make for a nice snack. Or, the seeds can be washed and dried for next year's planting.

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And that fresh pumpkin, of course, is so much better than the can stuff that you buy. Go ahead. Try and find a can of pumpkin on any store shelf right now.

Recycling your Jacks once they have fulfilled their lantern use is easy. Simply return them to the garden by cutting into pieces and burying them. Or, add them to your compost box. Since a pumpkin is mostly water, it will decompose rapidly.

If you know a farmer, their livestock will surely enjoy the leftovers.

Wild animals will make a quick meal of the pumpkins. And so will your backyard birds. Why not fill the jack-o'-lanterns with birdseed?