One pumpkin + a little time + a potted plant = A Sweet Fall Planter for Your Porch or Entry

Pumpkin planters make great fall decorations. It’s a quick and easy project that is fun and satisfying. Pumpkin planters look great in groups or by themselves. You can use them indoors or out. I like making these because they offer a little change from the standard Halloween pumpkin lining the steps to the front door. 

Generally I will buy oodles of garden mums and use those for my pumpkin planters, but if I find something else that is pretty and on sale - it's a keeper for me!

Pumpkin container gardens also make great Halloween decorations. Paint or draw a face on your pumpkin with a Sharpie. Plant grass, sage, or even a succulent to give your pumpkin planter personality and wild and crazy “hair.” 

You can use any size plant or pumpkin, just make sure that the diameter and height of the nursery pot, isn’t larger than your pumpkin. Select a fresh pumpkin that is round in shape and not too tall.

• Cut all the way around the stem end of the pumpkin a few inches down from the top with a sharp knife.

• Pierce the flesh of the pumpkin with the pointed end of the knife, following with a back-and-forth slicing motion to cut through the thick, tough skin.

• Make an opening large enough to place a flowerpot inside the cavity.

• Remove and reserve the stem-cap portion of the pumpkin.

• Scoop out the seeds and pulp from inside the pumpkin using a large spoon.

• Cut a small drainage hole near the bottom of the pumpkin.

• Place a potted chrysanthemum, indoor plant or colorful potted annual inside the cavity. If the plant sits too low, add recycled material such as crumpled aluminum foil or an upturned plastic container to raise the plant. If the plant is too high, hide the exposed portion of the pot with decorative moss or dried grass.

Display your pumpkin planter on the front porch or inside the house in a cool location away from direct sunlight. Prop the stem cap alongside the display for a casual look or discard. Remove the potted plant to water - replacing it after it has been allowed to drain for a few minutes.