How to Make Pressed Flower Pumpkins: No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Idea

Last Updated on October 27, 2023

Come learn how to make botanical pressed flower pumpkins. These gorgeous decorated pumpkins are trending on the interwebs, and for good reason! Making botanical pumpkins is an awesome sustainable fall craft project idea – and SO much fun to do! Use dry pressed flowers from your garden, pressed fall leaves, ferns, herbs, other foliage, or buy pressed flowers online if needed. With a little guidance, this is a great kid-friendly autumn craft project too. 

This easy step-by-step guide will show you how to make DIY pressed flower pumpkins, including the supplies needed, a couple different ways to press flowers and leaves, and other tips for success. Even better, I’ve included a recipe for homemade food-safe biodegradable glue, so the decorated pumpkins can be composted or eaten once you’re done using them as decor! I know you’ll love having these beautiful botanical pumpkins to brighten your home through the holiday season.

Related: Learn 9 sustainable ways to use or dispose of pumpkins after Halloween here.

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Supplies Needed

• Pumpkins. White pumpkins are ideal to make pressed floral decorated pumpkins. The flowers and leaves stand out beautifully against a white background! White also hides the homemade glue or mod podge residue nicely after it dries. You could also use faux white pumpkins (which could last for many years!) or paint an orange pumpkin white, but then it won’t be compostable. Or, go ahead and give decorating orange pumpkins a try! I think a light tan-orange pumpkin with dried leaves or green foliage accents would be beautiful.
  
  
• Pressed flowers, leaves, herbs, or other botanical pumpkin decorations. See options and tips on pressing your own flowers or leaves below, or consider buying a set of already-pressed dried flowers. This popular pressed flower kit comes with many different flowers, color options, and handy tweezers!
  
  
• Craft glue. You can make pressed flower pumpkins with classic Mod Podge (recommended if you use faux pumpkins so they’ll last longer) or make your own homemade non-toxic, biodegradable cornstarch glue using edible ingredients. See DIY glue ingredients and instructions below. Note that homemade glue will not be water resistant. For an outdoor display where rain is a concern, consider using waterproof Mod Podge.
  

•  Paint brush (small craft size) to apply the glue to the decorated pumpkin. 

TIP:  While I love a good lumpy pumpkin, smoother pumpkins with less ridges and lobes are easiest to decorate as pressed flower pumpkins since the flowers or leaves won’t have to bend as much.

How to Press Flowers to Decorate Pumpkins

Over the summer, I collected and pressed flowers and herbs from the garden in my wood and paper flower press, so I had them dried and ready to use on my decorated pumpkins. Flowers and leaves take a couple weeks to dry in a classic press, so this option will take some patience and planning in advance. We don’t have many colorful fall leaves in our area yet, or I would have used those too! (I also like to use pressed leaves to make beautiful DIY beeswax fall leaf garlands.)

To instantly press your own flowers or leaves, consider using a microwave flower press. This microwave press kit presses and dries flowers, leaves, herbs or other plant material in minutes, and also offers superior color retention compared to traditional slow pressing. The quick turnaround time and bright colors is ideal for decorating flower pressed pumpkins! In fact, I plan to invest in one soon.

The best flowers to press for pumpkins

Since pumpkins are curved, fairly flat, thin, and pliable pressed flowers and leaves work best to decorate pumpkins. Cosmos, violas, pansies, daisies, asters, poppies, calendula, petite roses, and scabiosas dry really well, retain their color, and go onto the pumpkins like a dream! I also loved the result from pressing wildflowers like native Indian blanket. For herbs, I used African blue basil and Tulsi (with flowers).

I found it more difficult to work with thicker, stiff, or brittle pressed flowers (or those with a thick base or long hard stem) since they wanted to stick out straight rather than conform to the natural curve of the pumpkin. Yet with a little patience and holding them in place, I was able to make most dried botanicals work.

Homemade Non-Toxic Glue for Decorated Pumpkins

This recipe for homemade cornstarch glue is easy to make, and yields about 1 cup of finished non-toxic glue. 

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups water
• 2 Tbsp corn syrup or honey
• 1 tsp vinegar or bottled lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

1. In a saucepan on the stovetop, combine only half the water (¾ cup) along with the corn syrup (or honey) and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil.
2. In a small separate bowl, thoroughly mix together the cornstarch and the remaining ¾ cup of water to create a paste. 
3. Next, add the cornstarch paste to the hot syrup on the stovetop. Stir well.
4. Return the glue mixture to a rolling boil and boil for about one minute. 
5. Remove the glue from heat and allow it to cool before use. I usually transfer it into a mason jar and put it in the fridge for a bit to expedite cooling.
6. Store homemade glue in an airtight container. Leftovers are best used within a few days (it starts to get clumpy thereafter) but can last several weeks if needed. 

Since it’s made with edible ingredients, this food-safe homemade glue is ideal for decorating pumpkins as it can be washed off later – so you can still eat the pumpkins! Did you know that most ornamental heirloom “pumpkins” are actually delicious edible winter squash? We love to make homemade pumpkin puree to use in pumpkin 3-bean chili, roasted pumpkin seeds, butternut squash pie, or butternut squash soup (winter squash and pumpkin can be used interchangeably in recipes). Learn more about making homemade pumpkin puree here, including the best types of pumpkins to use and how to freeze and preserve it.

That said, this biodegradable cornstarch glue will also wash off in the rain. Therefore, plan to keep your pressed flower pumpkins in a protected location. 

How to Decorate Pumpkins with Pressed Flowers, Leaves, and More

Now here’s the easy part! 

• To add the dried flowers and leaves to pumpkins, use a paintbrush to apply a layer of glue to the area of the pumpkin you wish to decorate. Next, press the flowers or leaves on, and then apply another layer of glue on top of the them. 
• Use your finger or a pair of tweezers to gently hold the flowers in place flat against the pumpkin if they want to stick up or move around. 
• Finally, let the floral pumpkins dry overnight. The following day, apply a final layer of glue to seal it all again or coat any exposed bits (optional).
• If your homemade glue seems too thick or clumpy, feel free to water it down with an additional splash of water if needed.

I had enough dried flowers to decorate one larger pumpkin all the way around to enjoy a 360 degree view on my kitchen counter, whereas I only decorated the front half of a couple smaller ones. Either way, they’re all gorgeous!

And it’s that easy!

Well friends, I sure hope you enjoy making your own decorated botanical pumpkins as much as I do. I have one in every main living space in the house right now; they’re bringing me so much joy! As you can see, making pressed flower pumpkins is simple, beautiful, and eco-friendly to boot. It doesn’t get any better! You’ll probably love these dried flower candle jar lanterns too.

Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. If you enjoyed this tutorial, please spread the love and leave a review/rating below, or pinning or sharing this post!

Don’t miss these other seasonal craft ideas:

• How to Make a Fall Beeswax Leaf Garland 
• Holiday Stovetop Potpourri Mason Jar Recipes (Free Printable Gift Tag)
• How to Dry Orange Slices for Holiday Decor, Two Ways
• DIY Grapevine Wreath (or Other Vines) Tutorial + Decorating Ideas
• How to Make Blown Egg Ornaments
• How to Make Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bread Loaf

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Decorated Pumpkins: Pressed Flower or Leaves with DIY Compostable Glue

Come learn how to make beautiful botanical pressed flower pumpkins decorated with dried flowers, fall leaves, herbs, and homemade compostable glue. This is an awesome sustainable fall craft project idea for the whole family – and SO much fun to do!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Craft Time30 minutes mins

Keyword: botanical pumpkins, decorated pumpkins, floral pumpkins, pressed flower pumpkin, pressed leaves pumpkin, pumpkin decorating

Equipment

• Pumpkins (white pumpkins are ideal)
• Pressed dried flowers, pressed fall leaves, herbs, ferns, or other dry botanicals
• Small paint brush
• Mod Podge or homemade compostable glue (recipe below)

Materials

• 1.5 cups water
• 2 Tbsp corn syrup or honey
• 1 tsp vinegar or bottled lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

Homemade Biodegradable Glue

• In a saucepan on the stovetop, combine only half the water (¾ cup) along with the corn syrup (or honey) and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil.
• In a small separate bowl, thoroughly mix together the cornstarch and the remaining ¾ cup of water to create a paste. 
• Next, add the cornstarch paste to the hot syrup on the stovetop. Stir well.
• Return the glue mixture to a rolling boil and boil for about one minute. 
• Remove the glue from heat and allow it to cool before use. I usually transfer it into a mason jar and put it in the fridge for a bit to expedite cooling.
• Store homemade glue in an airtight container. Leftovers are best used within a few days (it starts to get clumpy thereafter) but can last several weeks if needed. 

Decorating Botanical Pumpkins

• To add the dried flowers and leaves to pumpkins, use a paintbrush to apply a layer of glue to the area of the pumpkin you wish to decorate.
• Next, press the flowers or leaves on, and then apply another layer of glue on top of the them. Use your finger or a pair of tweezers to gently hold the flowers in place flat against the pumpkin if they want to stick up or move around. 
• Finally, let the floral pumpkins dry overnight. The following day, apply a final layer of glue to seal it all again or coat any exposed bits (optional).
• If your homemade glue seems too thick or clumpy, feel free to water it down with an additional splash of water if needed.
• The glue is non-toxic and compostable, so you can either compost the pumpkins or wash off the glue to eat the pumpkins later. It will also wash off in the rain, so keep your pumpkins in a protected location.