The Dangerous Reason Painted Pumpkins Should Not Be On Illinois Porches

Painting pumpkins is easier (and more colorful) than carving them.

Carving pumpkins has never been easy for me, whether with a knife or a fancy little carving kit. Painting pumpkins is a great alternative for kids and people like me but if you're planning to put one on your porch, rethink that.

Painted pumpkins really don't look so good after a while. It seems like they deteriorate quicker than a carved jack-o-lantern. My ex put his daughter's painted pumpkins on their porch and I told him it wasn't a great idea because nature is going to do it's thing and sure enough, the paint chipped off and the pumpkin died and it looked like a gross orange and purple blob on his porch.

Why You're Asked To Keep Painted Pumpkins Inside

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking you to use the painted pumpkins as indoor decor. Why? Wildlife will eat the pumpkin and the paint can be toxic to them. 

Don't hate on the squirrels, deer, and/or critters around your house for eating the pumpkin, it's just nature's reaction to it. Would you say no to a free lunch?

Remember that animals will be eating your porch pumpkins if they're real pumpkins. You can't stop that. So besides not putting the painted pumpkins outside, make sure that you take out any kind of decorations in it (metal, plastics, candles, etc.) and don't use any flavorings.

The painted pumpkins could make a cute fall table centerpiece or accent pieces around the house. They look just as good inside as they would be outside and might even last longer inside, not exposed to the elements.

Take out the pumpkin guts before you paint it. You can use them for things like soup or pumpkin seeds can make good bird food for your feeder or snacks for you.

If you're going to use the gourd, you might as well get your money's worth from it.