Rather than letting your Halloween pumpkins rot or tossing them in the trash, consider one of these options.

Pumpkin smash

Smash your pumpkins, carved or not, before they are composted. Wax, paint, glue, and glitter are not compostable, so use a veggie peeler to scrape them clean before you bring them. Pro tip: Rotting jack-o-lanterns are great for smashing.

Otranto Road Library | Saturday, Nov. 8 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | This event is free and registration is not required.

Composting options

Drop-off locations:

Bees Ferry Compost Facility | Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., and Saturday: 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (closed Sundays)
Drop off anytime at any of the 20 food scrap drop-off sites around Charleston. Sign up for Charleston Composts.

Donate to a farm

Support local farms, reduce waste, and treat the farm animals with a festive snack. Sounds like a win in our book. Note:Clean, whole pumpkins are preferred.

Drop-off locations
Several Lowcountry farms are listed on the Pumpkins for Pigs page, but always check with the farm first before planning to donate.

Get cooking

If you have an edible pumpkin and you kept it whole, prepare to chow down.

Roast the seeds
Get creative with these recipes