Halloween How-To: Planted Mini Pumpkins

Halloween has arrived, but it's not too late to get into the spooky spirit with a quick and easy craft devised by the creative folks in our nursery-- planted mini pumpkins. Longer-lasting than traditional carved pumpkins, these tiny arrangements are our pick for lining a porch rail, dressing up a desk, or placing at each seat around an autumn table. Read on for our how-to, with a simple sealing trick that will keep your pumpkin planters looking fresh for weeks to come.

What You'll Need:

Mini pumpkins
Pumpkin carving tools
Paraffin wax
Hot plate
Spoon
Small plants of your choice
Potting soil
Moss

1. With a small, sharp knife, carve a hole into the top of a pumpkin that is large enough to fit the plant you've selected.

2. Once the top is removed, carefully hollow out the inside of the pumpkin. To ensure that the pumpkin stays fresh, scrape down the flesh as thoroughly as possible. 

3. Melt the paraffin wax over the hot plate, then spoon the wax into the hollow pumpkin. Swirl the wax around to make sure the interior and lip are completely coated, then set the pumpkin aside until the wax is cool and dry.

4. Fill the sealed pumpkin with potting soil and place a plant inside. Fill out the edges of the planting with moss as needed. Repeat for as many pumpkins as desired and enjoy!