This is a fun Halloween project for gardeners! It’s silly and quirky, and it puts a smile on everyone’s face. Turn your Jack-o-Lantern into a Jack-o-PLANTern this year for a fun garden therapy project using these simple DIY instructions.
I love decorating with pumpkins. I get giddy when I start to see them available at the farmer’s markets and grocery store. I applaud those who even go through the effort of growing one themselves to carve and decorate with later.
These jack-o-planterns are a fun gardeners take on the classic jack-o-lantern. You can use up the last of the plants remaining from your summer and fall planters, or get some on discount from the garden centre.
This quick project is also fun to do with the kiddos. Let me show you!
How to Make a Jack-o-Plantern
Making your own is a really simple project. Heading out to a garden centre will be the most time consuming and, might I add, dangerous. You will have to show some restraint if you don’t want to come home with a carload of colourful grasses, kale, and other fall beauties.
For a budget-friendly option, upcycle plants from your summer planters.
Make It!
Cut the top off your pumpkin to make a hole in the top. If it is fairly empty, then you don’t need to spend a bunch of time scooping it out. I removed the seeds and roasted them and left the rest of the junk in there. It will all compost together in the end anyhow.
Use you marker to draw a face on the best side of the pumpkin and use the knife to carve out the holes.
Don’t worry about cleaning your pumpkin guts out completely.
Now add some soil to the bottom of the pumpkin. You can use a container mix soil, although I found that my plants had quite a bit of container soil in them and I didn’t really need to add much more in the way of peat moss or perlite.
Contrary to typical container planting instructions, you really want to pack the soil down at the bottom to create some firm areas where the plants can sit. These planters will not last long enough for the roots to struggle and will have lots of moisture and organic matter from the pumpkin itself.
I also don’t think drainage holes are necessary but add them if you choose.
Pack in the soil tight.
Now for the fun part (it is even more fun than carving a jack-o-lantern)! Plant some ‘hair’ with grasses…
Grasses are the perfect hair, as well as trailing plants.
…and ‘hats’ with cabbage.
Cabbage “hat”
Fill soil around the roots of the plants (remove the plastic pots) and pack it in through the eyes and mouth. Leave space for sedum and ornamental kale as eyes and teeth.
Ornamental kale as eyes.
Use succulents as “teeth”
I tried swapping out the kale and sedum in different jack-o-lantern eyes until I got the look that I liked.
Set your pumpkin out in the cool fall air and water periodically. After Halloween, remove the plants and make a pretty fall planter or use them to pretty up the garden. Compost the whole pumpkin and the soil and you will be well on your way to a greener garden next year.
Jack-o-Plantern FAQ
How long do pumpkin planters last before they begin to rot?
It depends entirely on the weather conditions. The cooler the pumpkin, the longer it will last. If possible, keep it from sitting in the sun. If it’s warm, your pumpkin may last only a few days. Cooler temperatures and it could last a couple of weeks.
How can I make my pumpkin planter last longer?
The most important aspect is picking a good pumpkin. Avoid any with soft spots or visible damage or browning.
Sun will accelerate decomposition, while rain will promote rot. Snow can help preserve the pumpkin if it sticks around, but freezing and then thawing will end up with a pumpkin puddle. Your best bet is to place it in a shady, covered area, and wait for the cool weather to kick in.
I have found that those tips and hacks like adding petroleum jelly or bleach actually don’t work, and means you can’t compost your pumpkin after. Read more about that here.
More Fun Pumpkin Ideas
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Pumpkin flower arrangements are a fun and chic way to set the table for fall festivities, including Thanksgiving and Halloween. Grab some warm-toned flowers from the garden or the grocery store, and pick a pumpkin that calls your name!
I keep seeing these gorgeous pumpkin flower arrangements at florists, farmers’ markets, and online. A collection of blooms tightly packed into a bright orange pumpkin just screams “fall.”
It’s an elegant take on fall decorating: setting the table for Thanksgiving dinner, adorning the mantle for the season change, or even to give as gifts.
I know I would love to receive one of these gorgeous pumpkins, and they will be just as rewarding to give! Here’s how you can make your own.
Use pumpkins of all sizes and shapes to really make it your own.
How to Make Pumpkin Flower Arrangements
With flower arranging, the artistry is in the design, and it’s not as easy as it looks. But if you want to take a stab at creating your own pumpkin flower arrangement, then here is how to do it.
Keep pumpkins cool and shaded to help them last longer.
Make It!
Cut the top off your pumpkin so that you have a fairly wide opening near the center of your pumpkin. Scoop out the guts and make these addictive Roasted Rosemary Pumpkin Seeds.
Line the inside of the pumpkin with a sheet of plastic. This will hold some of the moisture in when you water the floral foam.
Cut a piece of floral foam with the knife to a size that will fit inside the pumpkin. Soak the foam in water while you prepare your flowers (soak it, don’t dunk it!).
Make sure to use wet flower foam, not dry flower foam.
Choose flowers with strong, straight stems that are freshly cut, either from the garden or a purchased bouquet.
Insert the floral foam into the inside of the pumpkin and create your arrangement. Start with flowers, then add leaves, berries, and other embellishments to create a full and interesting arrangement.
Use garden clippings to make it extra seasonal.
Items collected from the garden will shine in a new way when displayed in a pumpkin vase like this one I spotted at Vancouver florist Flowerz.
Save the top of the pumpkin for an extra unique arrangement.
You can even pop the top of the pumpkin like on this other creative arrangement. Hold it on with a piece of floral wire inserted into the floral foam (also from Flowerz).
Save the succulents once the pumpkin begins to decompose.
I even made up one with some tender succulents for my garden. As the weather starts to get cooler, the succulents won’t survive outdoors, so why not bring them in, plant them in a pumpkin, and enjoy them for as long as you can?
I didn’t use floral foam for the succulents, but instead filled the inside of the pumpkin with indoor potting soil. I do this for my outdoor pumpkins every year. You can see a whole bunch of them here.
Pumpkins don’t have to have all of the fun; this works well with gourds, too!
Pumpkin Flower Arrangements FAQ
How long do the pumpkins stay fresh?
It depends on a few factors, like how fresh it was to begin with and what the conditions are. But I would say a good estimate would be 1-2 weeks. Keep the pumpkins cool and away from sunlight to help them last longer.
How far in advance can I make these pumpkins?
Like all fresh flowers, they look best when freshly made, so I would try to make them no more than 1-2 days in advance. The arrangement should then look pretty for another 1-2 weeks, depending on the flowers and the temperature they are stored at.
More Ways to Use Pumpkins
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Hanging baskets are ever-growing in popularity. However, unless you care for those a little differently from in-ground plants, they can get ratty-looking instead of full, gorgeous hanging basket flowers. Here are the tips you need for beautiful eye-level plants and bright flowers all summer long.
Petunia hanging basket flowers.
Have you walked (or driven) by gorgeous hanging baskets and been awed by their beauty? Then, perhaps, you got the idea to try growing similar baskets yourself, only to fail miserably?
Let me just tell you right now that you are not the only one! Many have tried and many have failed.
A properly-planted, well-cared-for hanging basket can brighten up your front entrance or back patio immensely. Although hanging baskets can be a bit tricky, this guide for choosing the right plants, watering correctly, and caring for hanging containers makes it easy to plant and maintain a beautiful blooming basket all summer long.
Now, you, too, can grow lush, drool-worthy hanging basket plants that will make you the envy of the neighbourhood.
In this post, we’ll cover…
Just one luscious plant and colour is all you need for a gorgeous display.
The Benefits of Growing Outdoor Hanging Plants
I mentioned the biggest deterrent to growing flowers for hanging baskets: they can dry out too quickly and die.
Now, let’s cover why you want to put in a wee bit of effort to grow hanging basket plants. There are actually a few advantages of hanging basket flowers over gardening in the ground:
Growing a basket of flowers gives you that pop of colour you crave without the work of digging in the ground.
Do you have poor soil? That’s not even an issue when growing hanging basket plants.
Fitting several plants into one single planter leaves little space for annoying weeds, thus nearly eliminating weeding chores.
Since the baskets hang up off the ground, they are safe from flower-eating animals and many pests.
Bidens ‘Bidy Boom Wildfire’
How to Properly Care for Hanging Basket Flowers All Summer
The key to success with hanging baskets comes down to one simple thing to remember: hanging baskets need to be treated differently than in-ground plants. Nail these six elements to properly care for your hanging baskets, and you’ll have the beautiful hanging basket plants you seek.
Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
Choose the Right Hanging Baskets
Since watering problems are the most common way that people kill hanging plants, start with your hanging basket planter. You want to make sure that it:
Has good drainage holes so water doesn’t stay trapped and drown the roots of your planter flowers.
It is large enough to accommodate the plants you want to include.
Remember to get a hanging basket that’s as deep as you can find to hold a good amount of soil and water for your plants.
Here’s a new hanging basket that will fill in quickly.
Choose the Right Hanging Basket Plants
When putting together a hanging basket, think about where you plan to hang it. Is it a place with a lot of hot sunshine? If so, make sure you’re choosing plants that love the heat. Is it a shadier area? If so, choose plants that will thrive in the shade.
No matter what the light and temperature conditions are for the spot where you want your basket to hang, be sure to pick plants that are appropriate for those conditions.
Also, think about what kind of plants will look most aesthetically pleasing in a hanging planter. Plants that spill over the edge and trail down look lovely.
A good rule of thumb: if you want various plants in one basket (although just sticking to one kind of plant in a basket can be gorgeous!), choose thrillers, spillers, and fillers as outlined in this post.
I love hanging baskets with all kinds of textures.
Properly Watering Flowers for Hanging Baskets
Water drains out of hanging baskets very quickly. Additionally, having many plants in one fairly small container means that many roots packed together under the soil compete for water.
These combined issues mean that it is easy for hanging basket flowers to dry out much faster than if those same plants were growing elsewhere. Here are some techniques to keep your hanging flowers moist, happy, and blooming:
Water regularly!
Use a plastic liner inside the hanging basket to keep moisture in.
Try using a self-watering system like a bottle or bulb. These tools add water to the soil as it dries out. Another option is to invest in self-watering planters.
If plants are still dropping, start giving your hanging baskets a soak once a week. Simply take the basket down from its hanger and soak it in a tub of water for a couple of hours, then hang it back up.
During hot weather, water your hanging baskets daily.
Maintain Nutritious Soil for Outdoor Hanging Plants
Because hanging baskets are, well, hanging, the soil is not exposed to nearly the same amount of microbes, bacteria, and insects that normally work to improve the soil in the garden. In addition, the more frequent watering needs flush out the essential nutrients that your plants need.
To make up for this, fertilize hanging baskets regularly or add some slow-release feeding spikes to do the job for you. Psssst, scroll to the bottom of this post for my hanging basket fertilizer recipe.
Apply fertilizer every other week to your hanging basket flowers.
Deadhead and Prune Hanging Basket Flowers
Once a week, inspect your hanging basket and remove any dead or fading flowers and brown leaves. Cut back any part of the plant that looks dead, brown, or damaged. This will encourage new growth, more blooms, and make your hanging baskets look lush and full.
Remove any old flowers to encourage the plant to produce more blooms.
Common Hanging Basket Problems
This section is full of proper care tips that will help you keep your hanging basket not just alive but absolutely lush throughout the season.
Why do my hanging baskets die?
Hanging baskets are typically filled with annuals, which are plants that last for a season and then need to be replaced. Even perennial plants that grow back year after year will need to be replaced or significantly pruned in order to continue growing in a hanging basket after one season.
A hanging basket is a temporary planter that’s used for decoration but certainly not something that’s meant to be produced for years without maintenance.
Understanding the basics of the growing conditions can help reduce the chances that the hanging basket will die.
How often should I water a hanging basket?
Hanging baskets need to be watered regularly throughout the growing season. In most cases, many plants are competing for root space in the soil, so there is less space for the soil to hold water.
That, in combination with the drainage that happens from a basket hanging in the air, means that your hanging basket should be watered much more often than in-ground gardens.
If your hanging basket is in a sunny location, then you will need to water it at least once a day and sometimes twice in the heat of summer. If the hanging basket is in a shadier location, however, you might be able to go for a few days between watering.
How to check if your hanging basket needs to be watered?
Check to see if the soil is dry by sticking your finger into the top of the soil. If it feels warm and dry, then it needs to be watered; if the soil feels cool, then it can wait another day.
Ideally, watering should be done slowly, allowing the soil to absorb the water. Pour the water on the surface of the basket so that you can see it sparkling but not pooling on the soil. When the water starts to pour out the bottom of the basket, the soil has been saturated.
If the soil has dried out, it will need to be rehydrated by soaking it in water for a few hours.
If you happen to be going away on vacation or won’t be able to water your hanging baskets for a few days, set up a kiddie pool or big tub with a couple of inches of water and set your hanging baskets in it when you go away. This will allow your hanging baskets to stay hydrated while you take a break from daily watering.
Should you line a hanging basket with plastic?
With proper drainage in your baskets, overwatering and root rot are unlikely. However, lining the basket with something to hold in water could be problematic.
Some hanging baskets have plastic liners to hold in moisture, but most annual plants require free-draining soil in order to keep their roots healthy. You can also find self-watering hanging baskets that hold a small reservoir of water below the basket for roots to access when they need it.
You can also use clear plastic trays that hang on a hanging basket to help collect the water and hold it below.
All of these tools may allow you to go a few days extra without watering, but they will require additional management to ensure that the roots don’t sit in standing water, which can cause them to rot.
What is the best fertilizer for hanging baskets?
My favourite fertilizer mix for hanging baskets is a homemade mix from my book,Garden Alchemy!
This soil mix is excellent at holding moisture and is highly nutritious for your hanging basket flowers. Use this every two weeks, and you should see your flowers thrive!
Get the recipe for my fertilizer mix in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How do you revive a hanging flower basket?
Hanging baskets that you’ve hung up at the beginning of the season can look a little overgrown, brown, and straggly. This is a fairly easy fix.
Follow basic pruning rules to clean up the basket. Use scissors to remove any dead, diseased, damaged, or dying plant material. Even if this means cutting off half of the planter, you’re removing plant material that’s taking away energy from reproducing healthy plant material, and it will perk back up in no time.
Go back to my vacation rehydration tips and fill a kiddie pool or a tub with water and submerge the basket for an hour or two to give the plants a deep drink.
Top up the basket with a few handfuls of good quality compost, and add a bit more hanging basket fertilizer mix (recipe at the end of this post).
Lobelia is a popular filler plant for hanging baskets.
More Tips for Hanging Basket Flowers
The Best Fertilizer for Hanging Basket Flowers
If you have hanging basket flowers that are looking a little sickly, whip up a batch of my DIY hanging basket fertilizer and perk them up.
