Halloween colors are traditionally orange and black, but maybe you should consider a color we don't usually associate with fall: Green. Here is an article about how to compost your jack-o-lantern from this year's Halloween festivities (and this method can be used for other food products). Enjoy!

"Going Green for Halloween

Are you one of those people that let your Halloween pumpkin rot on the porch until it hopefully gets covered with snow or eaten by the local raccoons? Why not make the soil and your neighbors happy this year and compost that Halloween pumpkin? By composting it, your pumpkin will not be added to the waste at the local landfill. Here's how to have fun smashing pumpkins and then recycling them.

1. Remove the Insides. If you have an uncarved pumpkin, go ahead and remove the seeds for roasting. Also scoop out the insides for cooking. Use the flesh for making soup and the seeds for snacking. The insides can also be added to the compost. For a carved pumpkin, remove any candles or wax from the inside of the pumpkin. Also remove other plastic or other materials or accessories that may have been added to the pumpkin when you were involved in your Halloween decorating.

2. Smashing Pumpkins. This is the fun part, smashing pumpkins. Go ahead and have some fun with smashing pumpkins. They will turn into a nice mushy orange mess.

3. Find A Spot in the Yard. Find a place in the yard where a pile of natural materials like leaves and smashed pumpkins will not interfere with your landscaping. Try the side of the house or a small area in the back yard.

4. Place a Composting Bin. You can then place a plastic container in the spot to use as a composting bin. This is not necessary for the process. The benefit of using a bin is if you are planning on using the composted pumpkin and other natural material in a springtime garden or growing soil. Also find an area that has good drainage and gets a lot of sunshine, even in the winter months.

5. Add Leaves. The pumpkin will compost nicely when added to some fallen leaves, which are probably all over your lawn right now. Tip: try not to add large sticks or branches, as those items take up to a year to compost, according to Yardener.

6. Continue to Add to the Pumpkin Compost Pile. You can add any other vegetable or fruit peels or cores or any other organic materials to the compost pile as time goes on. Just remember not to add any meat products including bones, skin or fat.

7. Let Nature Do the Work. The easiest type of composting is called "passive composting." This is when you just let nature, and the worms, do the work. There is no need to check on the compost, or to mix it up, or do add anything but natural materials to it."

There you have it, the simple way to create a compost pile. Fall is a great time for this, as the leaf litter and other vegetables will have all winter to compost, and can be used in your spring planting. Remember that compost can have a less-than-desirable odor, so be mindful of its placement in the yard. If you're serious about compost or have limited backyard space, there are seal-able containers available for your compost. Compost can be very valuable as it replaces the fertilizer you would need to purchase when planting in the future. Composting is also a great green tip to avoid landfill waste.