Celebrate Fall With Your Own Concrete Pumpkin Planter!

The days are starting to get a bit shorter, and you can tell that fall is officially just around the corner! Now is the time to create some great fall decor! With fall being my favorite season, I usually have a long list of projects to create. I love to make decor I can use year after year, and that is how I stumbled upon the concrete pumpkin planter idea.

There are many different ways to create a concrete pumpkin planter, and everyone has their favorite method. The method I’m sharing I’ve tried more than a few times, and I just love the result. Every concrete pumpkin will be different and have its own character. You have a bubble or two after the concrete dries, but no worries because this is what will make your planter unique and awesome!

To create this project, you will need to gather some supplies from your local hardware store. You will first need a plastic trick-or-treat pumpkin. It’s the perfect size for the planter, not too big or too small. You will also need 2 – 10 pound bags of quick-dry concrete, concrete coloring – we used terra cotta color to get the orange look, a plastic cup or old planter cup to push in the center of your concrete planter while it’s drying (this makes the “hole” for your plant), a few rocks for weights, and bucket to mix your concrete in.

Start by prepping your plastic pumpkin. You want to go ahead and cut off the handle on the plastic pumpkin. I also like to give the inside a good wipe down, just in case there is anything on the inside. Next mix up your concrete using the directions on the bag. I added about 1/4 cup of the concrete terra-cotta coloring to my mix. Feel free to experiment with how much you put into the concrete. Keep in mind the color will lighten a bit after drying.

After your concrete is fully mixed, you will pour the concrete right into the plastic pumpkin. Be sure to leave about 2-3 inches at the top of the pumpkin. Tap around your pumpkin, working out as many bubbles as you can.

Now you will take your plastic cup and push it carefully into the concrete, allowing the concrete to come up the sides. By doing this, your concrete should come up to 1/2 inch away from the top of your plastic pumpkin. Add some rocks into the cup to hold the cup into place, and allow your pumpkin to harden for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, I like to pull the plastic cup out of the center vary carefully. Then allow the pumpkin to continue to harden for another 24 hours. This helps to ensure your pumpkin is totally hardened before unmolding. If it is very humid where you are, or you have some rain in the forecast, you can even let your pumpkin sit another day, just in case.

When your pumpkin is fully dry, it is time to unmold. A big tip when unmolding is to take your time and go slowly. You can use a utility knife or snips to cup the plastic pumpkin off. I found following the lines along the side of the pumpkin make cutting off the plastic pumpkin easier. You will then be able to split the plastic pumpkin shell open and your concrete pumpkin will “roll” out!

Take a moment to admire your work! I just love how you can see the impression of the Jack-o’-lantern face! The color is always slightly different, so it’s fun to see that too! Gently give your pumpkin a good brush to brush off any extra dust, etc that may have accumulated. Feel free at this point to paint your pumpkin’s eyes if you would like. You can also use a concrete sealer to seal your project as well. Since I only leave the pumpkin planter out during the fall months, I’ve never had to seal the planter.

Your pumpkin planter is now ready for a plant! Since its fall, mums are a great choice! Be sure to water your mum (or whatever plant you would like) often, so it does not dry out in the planter.

The concrete pumpkin planter is a truly unique, and fun project! What a great way to celebrate the fall and Halloween season. Grab yourself a plastic pumpkin and make yourself a planter this fall!