DIY Pumpkin Planter

Here's what you'll need for your pumpkin planter:

• A large fresh pumpkin
• A clay or plastic pot small enough to fit into the pumpkin
• Potting soil
• Annual plants
• Gloves
• Garden trowel

Tip: Consider spreading newspaper or cardboard over your cutting surface for quick cleanup.

Place a the pot upside down over the stem end of the pumpkin. Use a marker or pen to trace around it. Carefully cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the pot.

Scoop out the inside of the pumpkin. The better you clean the pumpkin, the longer it will last. Also cut one or two small holes in the bottom of the pumpkin, so water can drain when you water your plants. You may want to put a saucer under the pumpkin to catch any excess liquid.

Tip: Save the pumpkin seeds to roast and eat. Or toss them outside for wildlife.

Put the pot into the pumpkin to make sure it fits snugly. If the pot is too big, trim the opening a little more. If the pot is too small and drops too far down inside the pumpkin, make it sit higher. Place crumpled newspaper or foil (or another planter turned upside down) in the bottom of the pumpkin. Put the pot on top and adjust the filler until you're happy with the height.

Next, take the pot out of the pumpkin, then plant the pot with greenery or flowering plants. Gently push the soil around the roots and water thoroughly to eliminate any air pockets. Put the pot back in the pumpkin. Let any vines or stems trail over the sides. Add floral picks for seasonal flair.

• Display the pumpkin as the focal point on a porch with more pumpkins and plants in containers.
• Keep flowering plants deadheaded to encourage more blooms. Water regularly. When the pumpkin is finished, transplant the flowers to your garden or another container.
• Before you add your plants, prevent the pumpkin from molding with a bleach or peppermint oil and water solution. Mix a tablespoon of one or the other in a quart of water. Spray the interior and any cut surfaces and let dry.
• Optional: Keep the pumpkin from drying out too quickly by applying hairspray or petroleum jelly to any cut surfaces before adding your pot.
• At the end of the season, toss your pumpkin into the compost pile and transplant any plants into a garden bed or planter.

• Make a spooky Halloween planter. Pick up a can of chalkboard spray paint and blacken a pumpkin. Pull out white paint pens and decorate with creepy and clever creations.
• Use a pumpkin planter as a house number or seasonal saying. Paint a pumpkin with black or white paint, then finish with a stencil.
• A pumpkin planter is great for Thanksgiving. Switch out annuals with colorful leaves or plants in autumn colors.