Brandon Dawson, who grew this year鈥檚 biggest pumpkin, and Recology, which pioneered curbside composting collection, encourage residents and businesses everywhere to compost their jack-o鈥�-lanterns after Halloween. Dawson won top prize at the 52nd Annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off held on Oct. 13 in Half Moon Bay. Winning this celebrated contest is a truly amazing feat.
But when the time comes to compost Dawson鈥檚 2,346-pound gourd, it will not fit in his curbside composting bin provided by Recology. Not even close. Dawson will chop up and compost his ginormous pumpkin in his backyard and then apply the finished compost to his vegetable garden. Curbside composting is another great option. Both methods keep materials out of landfills and improve soil health on local gardens and farms.
The United States grows more than 2 billion pumpkins yearly. Dawson and the employee-owners of Recology encourage everyone to compost their pumpkins. 鈥淧umpkins grow from the topsoil on gardens and farms. When we compost our pumpkins, we send them back to the soil and complete the circle. Composting is great for the environment,鈥� Dawson said.
Recology crews collect and compost legions of pumpkins when emptying curbside bins in the two weeks following Halloween and the environmental benefits are many. Composting keeps jack-o鈥�-lanterns out of landfills and reduces methane emissions. And pumpkins help make high-quality compost. Gourds add natural vitamins, fiber, and minerals — including magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc — to compost feedstock.
Finished compost is a nutrient-rich soil amendment that feeds the microbial colonies in topsoil. That helps local farms grow healthy fruits and vegetables that feed our families. Produce grown with compost includes apples, walnuts, almonds, olives, cherries, table grapes, vine grapes, tomatoes, peaches, persimmons, and more.
Farmers use compost to grow cover crops like mustard that pull carbon out of the atmosphere and return carbon and nitrogen to the soil through their roots. Growing cover crops increases organic matter in farm fields, further improving soil health. And applying compost to farms helps them save water. Compost is a natural sponge that attracts and retains water. Adding compost also helps soften farm soils. That helps farm fields take in water from rain or irrigation and allows plant roots to travel further through the soil and reach more nutrients.
In addition to supporting healthy plant growth, these benefits help protect farm soils from erosion during heavy rains. All of these benefits, achieved by applying compost, help support food security. When it comes to growing pumpkins, very few people can compete with Brandon Dawson of Santa Rosa, California. But we can all compost our pumpkins after Halloween and are encouraged to do so. Every time we compost, we participate in a good green habit that helps protect the environment in numerous ways. That鈥檚 why we are all encouraged to keep composting throughout the year. When composting your pumpkin, please remember to remove any candles, paint, or other decorations.