Outdoor Pumpkin Planter

Decorate your yard by placing a flower filled pumpkin planter in a bird bath or urn this fall season.

It's an easy DIY and one that adds rustic charm to your garden.

Or a welcoming fall addition to your front porch.



A few years ago, when Pinterest was new, I found a photo of pumpkin planter, placed inside a bird bath.

It was so charming. The epitome of a cottage style garden falling into fall. I had to have it.

And each October when we traveled out east to the pumpkin patch, I always went with the intention of grabbing the supplies necessary to whip up a version of my own. 

Unfortunately, with hay rides, corn mazes and apple cider donuts to distract me, the bird bath pumpkin planter purchases fell by the wayside.

Until this year.

This year, I was determined to make it happen. 


So in between bites of the most amazing loaded baked potato, I dragged my mister around the farmstand in search of the perfect pumpkin to turn into a planter pot. 

In the past, I've used an old cookie jar to get the same look inside the house.

And I did consider doing the same outside, but honestly, sometimes, you need the real deal.

Besides, we thought our mum would fare much better inside a real pumpkin with good soil, rather than just dropping the pot inside a faux one. 

And so far, we weren't wrong. It's flourishing. 

Here's how we did it. SO easy!

How To Make A Pumpkin Planter

We gathered our supplies:

Then we got to work:

You can see a video of it on Instagram. 

First, we cut the stem off of the pumpkin. We could've left it there, but I wanted to keep it for another project. 


Next, we removed the mum from its container.

Then we turned it upside down and used it as a template so we'd know how large to make the hole. 


Then very carefully, we used a large knife to cut into the top of the pumpkin.

Now, you'll notice that we didn't cut on the line.


We cut just outside it, to make sure the mum had enough room with the extra dirt we were going to add.


The rest of the process was self explanatory.

No different that cleaning out any other pumpkin you wanted to carve.

We scooped out as much of the seeds and pulp as we could, in our attempt to make a suitable home for our mum.

That included adding potting soil to the inside.

We added quite a bit and tucked it all the way up to the top since we knew it'd be hard to get our hands inside the pumpkin once the mum was added.


The last step, of this part of the DIY, was to add the mum and tamp the dirt down around it, as much as possible, and water it well.


Fabulous.

Now at this point, I was ready to take over. The mum was sweet, but it needed some embellishment to fall it up a bit more.

That was easy, we have lots of fun stuff in our yard like pinecones, leaves and ivy. I planted the ivy directly in the pumpkin.

The other items were added to the base once I placed it in the bird bath, next to the pond.


It's a project that was well worth the wait. 

Yet at the same time, one I should've done years ago, since it looks amazing.

The view outside my kitchen window is so lovely with my pumpkin planter perched next to the pond.


And now my cottage style garden is ready for fall.

As for me, well, I still miss summer, but this definitely softens the blow.

Would you plant in a pumpkin? 


Oh...and if you don't have a bird bath, never fear. 

A pumpkin planter looks just as good sitting on top of an urn on a front stoop or porch.


More Fall Pumpkin Crafts:

Give Thanks Glue Gun Pumpkin

Hurricane Lamp Glass Pumpkins

Easy Knitted Pumpkins

Puzzle Piece Place Card Pumpkins