It’s officially pumpkin season! One of our favorite ways to decorate for fall is through the use of pumpkins and brightly colored autumn plant varieties. Today we’ll share how simple it can be to combine these two classic seasonal staples to create a welcoming (and living) fall array for the front porch, stairs and entryway to your home.
Things You’ll Need
- Sharp carving knife
- Large spoon or scraper
- Large bowl
- Power drill or screwdriver
- Gardening gloves
- Gardening trowel
- Gardening soil
Start by selecting pumpkins and the coordinating plants you’ll pair them with. Look for pumpkins that will easily accommodate the size of the potted plants you choose. We went with a mix of fall plant varieties such as mums, ornamental versions of peppers and kale. Choose styles and colors that speak to you, and opt for plants that thrive in an autumn climate.
Using a sharp knife, cut the tops from the pumpkins as if you were making a jack-o’-lantern. Cut a wide enough diameter to account for each plant.
Scoop the seeds and roughly scape the innards from each pumpkin to clean them out.
Tip:Don’t toss those seeds! Save them to make a nice seasonal batch of roasted pumpkin seeds. Find our favorite recipe here.
Using a power drill (or screwdriver and muscle), puncture four holes through the bottom of each pumpkin to allow for drainage.
Fill the base of each pumpkin planter with a layer of garden soil, and then gently fit each plant into its respective pumpkin, adding more soil as needed to fill the pumpkin.
Give each planter a healthy watering, and it’s time to decorate!
These pumpkin planters work really well to brighten up a front stoop or stairwell and would make for a fun “living centerpiece” for fall gatherings, parties and even weddings.
Looking for more pumpkin projects? See how we’ve decorated them in the past using doilies, paint and painter’s tape, and learn how to create surprisingly beautiful designs using a power drill.
Cheers,
Mary & Tim
From : ehowMary & Tim