As the fall festivities wind down, you may be wondering what to do with those pumpkins still decorating your porch. Instead of tossing them in the trash, there are plenty of sustainable (and even tasty!) ways to reuse or recycle them right here in the Greater Houston area.

🍽️ Feed People First

If your pumpkin hasn’t been painted or treated, it can still serve up some delicious snacks. Try roasting the seeds for a crunchy, nutritious treat!
Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

• Rinse seeds and remove pulp.

• Boil for 10 minutes in salted water, drain, and pat dry.

• Toss with olive oil and your favorite seasoning.

• Roast at 350 °F for 15–20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
  Sweet cinnamon-sugar or savory garlic-parmesan—you can’t go wrong!

🐷 Feed Animals Next

Several local farms and sanctuaries take pumpkins to feed their animals—a fun way to keep waste out of landfills while helping pigs, goats, and chickens enjoy a seasonal snack. This year, The Buzz Magazines highlighted several Houston-area drop-off locations supporting both composting and animal-feed programs. Check them out here.

🌱 Compost What’s Left

Once your pumpkins have done their job as decorations or snacks, composting is the perfect next step!

• City of Houston: Offers a pumpkin drop-off through the Solid Waste Department. houstontx.gov/solidwaste

• City of West University Place: Accepts unpainted pumpkins curbside—carved ones can go in your leaf bags. westutx.gov/335/Special-Events

• City of Bellaire: Has a convenient compost drop-off site for pumpkins. bellairetx.gov/1974/Pumpkin-Compost-Drop-Off

• Other nearby cities: Check your city or county waste-management website to see if there’s a convenient drop-off or compost program closer to home.

Composting Tips:

• Remove all candles, foil, or decorations before composting.

• Painted pumpkins can’t be composted or fed to animals.

• Compost at home (Smash your pumpkin into smaller pieces to help it decompose faster.)

Start Composting at Home!

You can also compost your pumpkins right in your own yard. Pumpkins are rich in nutrients that help create healthy soil and feed your garden naturally. Simply break them apart, mix them into your compost pile, or bury small pieces directly into your soil. If you haven’t started composting yet, there’s no better time than now—it’s one of the easiest, most rewarding ways to give back to your yard and reduce household waste.

🌎 Small Steps, Big Impact

By feeding people, feeding animals, or composting your pumpkins, you’re helping keep organic waste out of landfills—and giving your fall décor a purpose beyond the porch. Together, we can make Houston’s harvest season a little greener!