BALTIMORE, Md — Halloween is over but before you ditch your pumpkins, think about composting them.
Undecorated pumpkins can be left in gardens or yards to be used as fertilizer. Uncarved and undecorated pumpkins can also be donated to places like farms and zoos. We here at WMAR have found some websites that can be used to help you find your nearest donation place.
Pumpkins For Pigsis a website meant to encourage people to compost pumpkins instead of just throwing them out. They’ve done the heavy lifting and found 32 places in Maryland that will take uncarved and unpainted pumpkin donations. These places range from as far as Denton Maryland to as close as Fallston Maryland. Some places listed also take things like gourds, acorns, left over produce and so much more. PFP does recommend you still call the each place before bringing your donations.
SEE ALSO: This Halloween, Howard County wants less pumpkins ending up at the landfill
Starting tomorrow, The Department of Public Works in Laurel will be offering a free pumpkin pickup service. They will be picking up Jack O’ Latterns, pumpkins and gourds. They ask that all candles, plastic decorations, and fake spider webs be removed prior to pickup. It is also important that painted pumpkins are only set out if the paint is water-based. Laurel’s DPW says the pumpkins will be picked up by their Organics Recycling truck and taken to Maryland Environmental Services to be turned into organic compost. Pumpkin pickup should be scheduledthrough their website and should be placed on the curb by 7am for pickup on Wednesday.
Howard County’s Department of Public Works has two drop off locations for their Harvest Heapthat begins today. From 10am to 5pm, Pumpkins can be dropped off at Clark’s Elioak Farm (10500 Clarksville Pike in Ellicott City) or Mary’s Land Farm (4979 Sheppard Lane in Ellicott City). These locations will be accepting donations until next Friday.
