Halloween is on Friday and once the fun is over, thousands of Brits will be left with their carved pumpkins. Many people think that throwing them into the garden for the animals is a good way to reuse them.
In fact, pumpkin can be extremely harmful to British wildlife — even fatal. If ingested by hedgehogs, it can cause stomach upset and dehydration which can lead to death. Hedgehogs are an endangered species in the UK so it’s important to do what you can to help them. Gardening expert Josh Novell, Director of Polhill Garden Centre, has shared an easy way you can protect animals and boost your garden soil health.
He said: “Every year, tonnes of pumpkins end up in the bin when they could be doing wonders for your soil. Pumpkins are rich in nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, all of which are essential for healthy plants. By digging them into your garden instead of throwing them away, you’re giving your soil a free, organic boost for next season.”
Instead of chucking them in the bin or piling them on the compost, gardeners should chop up their carved pumpkins and bury them.
“This helps with drainage, moisture retention and plant growth, which is especially useful before winter sets in.”
It also keeps animals safe from harm, as they are less likely to come across the pumpkin and eat it.
To carry out this garden job, you’ll first need to make sure your Halloween pumpkins are clean. Any scraps of paint or glitter can be harmful for the soil, so ensure only clean veg is used.
He said: “Anything decorative or treated can contaminate the soil or harm wildlife.”
Secondly, make sure the pumpkin is cut into small pieces.
“Large pieces take much longer to decompose. Cutting them into fist-sized chunks or smaller helps them break down quickly and release nutrients evenly into the soil.”
“One of the biggest mistakes people make is scattering pumpkin pieces across the surface; that’s an open invitation for rats and slugs. Always bury your pumpkin a few inches deep in the soil as this keeps pests away and helps the microbes get to work faster.”
Make sure that if you choose to dig pumpkins into your garden that you add some dry material too such as leaves or old compost. This will stop the soil from growing slimy and will ba;ance out the carbon and nitrogen levels in the soil.
If you want to leave pumpkin out for wildlife in the garden, be cautious, Josh warned: “Pumpkins can upset hedgehogs’ and deer’s digestive systems. If you do want to share with wildlife, leave only small, fresh portions out for a short time and make sure they’re not mouldy.”