Turn a white pumpkin into a colorful fall planter filled with bright pansies and trailing creeping jenny. In just a few easy steps, this seasonal garden project will add a little whimsy to your outdoor autumn decor.
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It's finally October! I'm so ready for cooler days, colorful foliage, and pumpkins - so many pumpkins! So, of course, I had to kick off the month with a pumpkin project. I've wanted to make a project like this for some time and decided that this year was finally the year. And since there's just about a month left here in Jersey to grab cool-weather flowers, it was the perfect time to put this pumpkin planter together.
While mums are typically the flower of choice this time of year, I wanted to add a bright and vibrant fall planter to our yard. And instead of just using a plastic or ceramic pot to plant in, I used a white pumpkin - with a nursery pot tucked inside - as my planter. It looks beautiful and seasonal, and the pumpkin can be tossed into the compost at the end of the season.
Of course, I also needed to fill my pumpkin planter with flowers. Since mums can grow quite large, I decided to look for pansies instead. Their smaller size makes them a great fit for the nursery pot I was placing inside the pumpkin, and I love all of the bright colors available this time of year. I also wanted a plant that would trail over the sides of the pumpkin, so I added creeping jenny. The bright green foliage pairs beautifully with the colorful pansies and makes the planter feel finished.
How to Make a White Pumpkin Fall Flower Planter
While you could use a large orange pumpkin as your planter, I liked the way the white pumpkin contrasts with the colorful plants sitting inside of it. I also love that it gives the planter a slightly different, almost more fun and playful look than traditional fall arrangements. And since the pumpkin is acting as both the container and a seasonal decoration, there's not much more you need to add to it. Just a little potting soil and some cool-weather plants in a nursery pot are all it takes.
The first step in turning a pumpkin into a planter is, of course, doing a little carving. Flip a nursery pot upside-down and use it to trace a circle onto the top of the pumpkin. Cut the top off of the pumpkin and scoop out the insides. Save those seeds for roasting!
Once the inside is clean, flip the pumpkin over and use a drill to make a few holes in the bottom for drainage.
Next, flip the pumpkin back over and place the nursery pot inside the pumpkin. Fill the nursery pot with potting soil and place the pansies in the middle.
Note: You can add the potting soil right inside the pumpkin, but it'll cause it to rot faster.
Once the pansies are planted, place the creeping jenny on each side of the pansies.
Water the planter thoroughly and place it in a partly sunny place in your yard or on steps. To deter squirrels from turning your creation into a snack, you could wipe the outside of the pumpkin with hot sauce. You'll just have to reapply after it rains or after the plants are watered.
Note: Rubbing the planter with hot sauce may cause the pumpkin to have a slightly orange tint once the hot sauce dries.
SUPPLIES
- Large white pumpkin
- Pen or marker
- Knife, for carving
- Drill, for making drainage holes
- Potting soil
- Nursery pot, or small pot with drainage holes that fits inside a large pumpkin
- Cool-weather plants like pansies and creeping jenny
STEPS
- Place a nursery pot on the top of the pumpkin and trace to make a circle. Then, carefully cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the insides.
- Flip the pumpkin over and drill holes into the bottom for drainage.
- Flip the pumpkin back over and place the nursery pot inside. Trim some of the edge away, if necessary, to make the pot fit. Then, add potting soil.
- Next, plant the pansies in the middle of the pot and the creeping jenny on each side.
- Water the planter thoroughly and place in an area with partial sun.
This pumpkin planter brings a little extra color and whimsy to the fall garden and will look even more gorgeous as the plants grow and fill in. While the white pumpkin planter keeps this arrangement seasonal, the bright pansies and creeping Jenny make it feel like a garden planter rather than a fall decoration. And when the flowers have faded, the pumpkin and plants can go right into the compost pile and eventually return to the garden.
Did you make this White Pumpkin Fall Flower Planter project? Share it on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
