Oh my gourd, pumpkins are here! That means it’s time to get decorating for fall! To get you inspired, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite ways to use pumpkins inside and out this season.

Traditional Carving

Okay, we can’t have an article about decorating with pumpkins without mentioning pumpkin carving. Carving is a classic fall activity, but if you want to mix things up, try using one of our unique pumpkins for something with extra personality.

Add Height By Stacking

We love pumpkin towers! If you’re short on time or don’t want to carve, this is the perfect solution for decorating your front stoop. Add a stack to either side of your door, and combine with a potted mum for instant fall charm.

Floral Pumpkins

This easy fall DIY combines two of our favorite things: flowers and pumpkins. Simply drill holes into the pumpkin and add some of your favorite flowers from around the yard.

Botanical Pumpkins

These decoupaged pumpkins feature leaves and flowers pulled right from your garden or yard. This activity is great for the whole family (especially if you’re looking for a knife-free alternative to carving). Pro tip: When choosing a pumpkin and plants look for smoother pumpkins, and thinner, pliable plant material (ferns work really well). Try to avoid stiff, waxy leaves.

Tablescaping with Pumpkins

Get creative with fall decorating by including pumpkins and gourds as part of your table setting. You can create a centerpiece in the center of the table, or even write place settings directly on smaller Jack-Be-Littles. Mix and match with plants and other natural elements for a beautiful sophisticated setting. The sky’s the limit!

Layer With Other Fall Favorites

To have your front stoop be the envy of the neighborhood, create a layered look with your pumpkins by combining them with hay bales, corn stalks, mums, pansies, and all of your favorite fall decorations. Mix heights, colors, and textures for a space that really pops.

Repurpose Urns and Pots

Are your summer containers looking a little sad? Rather than put those planters away for the season, use them to elevate a pumpkin stack for extra drama.

Pumpkin Succulents

Give your pumpkins a classy look by combining your pumpkins with succulents. This option makes great centerpieces, and is sure to stand out!

Pumpkin Man

For something a little different and slightly more ambitious, stake together several pumpkins and gourds to create a whimsical fall pumpkin man! Have fun and try adding in a straw hat or other accessories.

Think Outside the Box

With fall decorating there are no rules! We love that you can repurpose items found around your home and use them in a new way. Here we’ve repurposed a small planter, added in some Jack-Be-Littles, and snipped off a branch from a nearby hydrangea for a unique fall look. Sometimes all you need to do is look around your house or yard to be inspired. So get out there, and enjoy decorating this fall!

We’re just a couple of days away from the official start of fall which has us looking forward to Autumn colors, decorating our front porches with pumpkins, cornstalks, and mums, and all of the fun fairs and activities that the new season has to offer.

With everything going on, it can be easy to forget about your garden, but good news! We have an updated, easy fall checklist you can reference throughout the season to make sure your yard is in its best shape before winter hits.

Be sure to stop by Van Wilgen’s for all the plants and supplies you need. We’re here to help!

What’s your autumn joy?

Everyone’s idea of what the autumn season brings is very different.

To some, it’s pumpkin lattes and cozy warm sweaters. For others, it’s fair time and apple picking. For me, it’s just the beginning of the decorating season.

So, bring on your autumn joy and let the decorating begin.

Let’s say goodbye to summer and decorate with the warm colors of fall and create an entrance-making your guest feel cozy even before they enter your home.

The perfect outdoor look for most is the cornstalk framed door with decorative mum planters and lots of pumpkins and gourds. We can add to that by thinking outside the box a little and using things in different ways.

For example:

• Let’s use those empty summer urns and create a pumpkin stack, add some ivy or faux leaves.
• Take those macramé hangers and instead of putting pots in them put pumpkins or mums in them. They’re stunning hanging from the front of your house!
• Create a custom container or have us do it for you using colorful houseplants, such as croton with all your fall favorites and mum buddies.

Now that you’ve lead your guest inside, here are of few of the Van Wilgen employees’ favorite choices to help you decorate:

• Ceramic pumpkins
• Fall wreaths
• Festive seasonal pillows
• Gorgeous glass pumpkins (that light up)
• Scarecrows
• Flags
• And plenty of autumn swags and flowers to create the perfect décor to warm your home and your heart.

Autumn Joy = All of these things.

Let us help you create your own personal autumn joy.

What is the number one must-have for fall decorating? It’s the pumpkin of course! Everyone loves the jack-o’-lantern. Spooky, silly, or just plain cute, the carved Halloween pumpkin is a staple for the front porch in October.

But why stop there? Colorful gourds, squash, and pumpkins make excellent accents for Thanksgiving decorating too! After all, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for many things including a bountiful harvest. Fill a large wooden box or basket with colorful gourds and you have an instant fall centerpiece that’s casual, quick, and easy. For a more traditional look, try stuffing a cornucopia with a mix of gourds, small pumpkins, and squash. Looking for something a bit more formal? Stick with a simple grouping of all white. Choose ghost pumpkins, white jack gourds, and pale green, white or yellow squash. Simply scatter on a table runner, arrange in a decorative container or try placing the small pumpkin-like gourds atop candlesticks for an elegant accent.

Need place-card holders? Grab some mini pumpkins with a tall twisted stem, place one at each table setting and prop a name card atop the pumpkin leaning against the stem. It’s that easy.

If you have a little more time on your hands and are looking for a fun and creative DIY project check out Stacy’s video for step-by-step instructions on how to create an adorable pumpkin planter filled with succulents. What a great way to put a personal, one-of-a-kind centerpiece together for your family gathering or perhaps to give as a hostess gift!

There are so many choices for fall decorating including and beyond the traditional orange pumpkin. Unique pumpkins are shades of pink, green, and white. Colorful Turban squash and of course gourds with an endless variety of shapes, sizes, and colors to choose from.

Bring the beauty of the outdoors in and celebrate with the fabulous colors of fall.

Autumn is a wonderful (some might say the best) time of the year for color. Trees and landscapes turn into amazing shades of reds, golds, and oranges. Everything in the yard makes us want to bring those same colors indoors.

While a cutting arrangement full of autumn flowers is wonderful, they won’t last all season. That’s why we have autumn houseplants. Indoor plants bring a welcoming burst of color during the dark winter evenings and keep homes feeling cheerful.

Keep plants happy during colder months by following directions for your houseplant’s light and water requirements. Feed regularly with Espoma’s Indoor! liquid fertilizer to keep those amazing colors vibrant all season long.

8 Houseplants You Need This Autumn

1. Crotons

Invite this bold houseplant to your space this season. The foliage comes in incredible colors of red, green, orange, yellow, and even black! You will not be disappointed. Crotons like bright areas, so place them near a big window.

2. African Violet

Bring vibrant hues to your home with African violets. They can be grown almost anywhere there is light and a bit of humidity. African violets prefer full sun in the winter to get their gorgeous color. Rotate them regularly to keep growth even. Feed regularly with Espoma’s Violet! liquid fertilizer to ensure sensational blooms.

3. Dracena

Nicknamed the dragon plant, this houseplant brings great texture to any décor. Choose the variety of dracaena that best complements your design styles– such as dark green foliage or red lined foliage. These plants are easily cared for, tolerating low light, but thriving in medium to bright spots, too.

4. Lemon Cypress

This holiday favorite brings joy to your home all season long. Keep it trimmed into the cone shape to keep it looking like a miniature tree throughout the rest of the year. Keep it in direct light and cool temperatures.

5. Chrysanthemum

Mums are a sure indicator of autumn with their yellow, orange, and red hues. Put them anywhere they can get bright filtered light during the day but remain in the dark at night. They look great on shelves and desks that have some sunlight hitting them.

6. Goldfish Plant

A member of the African violet family, the goldfish plant brings a unique orange flower to your home. It’s named for the flower’s fishlike bodies and puckered mouths. Place this plant a few feet away from windows. Its curved stems make this a great choice for hanging.

7. Oxalis triangularis

Also known as red shamrock plant, oxalis triangularis is a wonderful addition to any houseplant collection. It has big, reddish-purple, clover-shaped leaves which give it the nickname shamrock. It blooms little pink or white flowers that contrast with the foliage so well. It is a dream to have. Oxalis triangularis doesn’t like direct sun, so anywhere will work for this plant. It is a bulb, so allow for drying in between waterings to prevent rotting.

8. Bromeliads

Known for the bright yellow, it may be surprising to some that bromeliads are offered in a sunset of colors. Bromeliads thrive on low light and minimal watering. So those who are looking for hardy plants, this one’s for you!

Put on your garden shoes, gloves and hat. It’s time to get back outside and tend to your yard. It missed you and suffered during the August heat. Ugh! Poor, poor yards.

FALL TO DO:

•Fertilize all trees, shrubs & perennial flowers with one of Espoma’s “Tones” at half the rate instructed on the bag.

•Use Plant-Tone for most deciduous shrubs except Hydrangeas. Use on Arborvitae & Boxwood.

•Use Plant-Tone for all perennial flowers.

•Use Holly-Tone for all evergreen shrubs such as Rhododendrons, Azaleas, & Andromeda.

•Use Holly-Tone for all evergreen trees & Dogwood trees.

•Use Tree-Tone for most deciduous trees such as Cherry, Maple, & Fruit trees.

•Fertilize the lawn:

•Use Greenview’s Lawn Food in the green bag for a great conventional choice.

•Use Espoma’s Summer Revitalizer if you want a boost of Iron for quick green-up.

A good organic choice:

•Use Espoma’s Organic All Season Lawn Food to help with summer recovery.

•Seed the lawn:

•Now is the perfect time to seed. Warm soil and cooler nights make for quick seed germination.

•Start a new lawn or thicken up an existing lawn.

•Use Van Wilgen’s Premium grass seed.

•Use Greenview’s Starter Fertilizer in the blue bag or Espoma’s Organic Lawn Starter.

• Begin Veggie garden clean up:

•Get rid of any dead plant debris.

•Purchase a cover crop of Winter Rye, Buckwheat, or Clover.

•Refresh soil with Espoma’s Garden-Tone.

•Apply Garden Lime in all beds except for where potatoes are planted.

•Think about bringing houseplants inside:

•Spray all plants with Bonide’s All Season Horticultural Oil or Neem Oil before

bringing indoors to control hitchhiking insects.

•Treat all non-edible plants with Bonide’s Systemic Houseplant Food.

• Fertilize all houseplants. There are many good choices:

•Conventional: Van Wilgen’s All-Purpose Slow Release Plant Food, Van Wilgen’s All Purpose Water Soluble Plant Food, VanWilgen’s Root Boost, or Bonide’s Liquid Plant Food.

Now your chores are done. Kick off your garden shoes and relax! Come see us at Van Wilgen’s. We would love to help.