What better way to celebrate spooky season than with a pumpkin bong?

While smoking out of apples is often seen as a last resort smoking method, pumpkin bongs are more of a fun DIY project that you can do with friends and turn into an annual tradition. 2020 was my eighth October making pumpkin bongs, but this year was extra special because I grew my own pumpkin.

Pumpkin bong planning

I made the decision to grow this year’s pumpkin last fall before most of my 2020 vegetable garden was ever thought of. I threw last year’s pumpkin bong in my garden to decompose in hopes of seeing some sprouts come spring.

Sure enough, by June, my garden was overridden with pumpkin sprouts! This particular plant was special from the start because it was the only one that stayed alive. It produced one singular, but marvelous pumpkin that I harvested in early September.

What you need to make a pumpkin bong

To make your own pumpkin bong (whether it be store-bought or homegrown,) here’s what you’ll need:

• a medium pumpkin
• water
• carving tools
• a downstem
• a bowl insert
• mouthpiece (optional)

Step one

Carve around the stem to open up your pumpkin. Try to cut into the pumpkin at an angle so the lid has a better seal.

Step two

Remove some or all of the guts and seeds. Note that it isn’t actually necessary to take the seeds out. This is one part you can decide for yourself. Some people prefer to leave all of the guts and seeds for more diffusion.

(I, personally, chose to scoop my pumpkin having previously been traumatized by a bug in one of my garden peppers earlier this year.)

Step three

Borrow a straight downstem from one of your bongs and carve a hole on the side of the pumpkin for it to fit into. Remember to carve at a downward angle since you want your downstem pointing down.

Make sure you start small. You can always go bigger, but you can’t go smaller again! Pumpkin guts can get stuck in the downstem when you first insert it, so be sure to look for any clogs before you take a hit.

Step four

Decide what want for a mouthpiece and carve a hole. You can either carve a hole on the opposite side of the downstem and smoke directly off of the pumpkin bong, or you can use a removable mouthpiece from another rig.

Just like I did for the downstem, I measured the size of the mouthpiece and cut a hole for it to fit in.

Step five

Add water to cover the percolator on the downstem. You can totally hit it dry too if you prefer, but the water really does make it a proper bong.

Step six

Pack your bowl, put the lid on and take a hit!! 

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A post shared by Sasha Silenced Hippie (@silencedhippie)

Tips from a true bong master

Over the years, I’ve learned that bigger isn’t necessarily better with pumpkin bongs. Sometimes the extra volume can make it harder to get good hits. But I will admit, the big ones are really fun to try and make.

It might seem intimidating at first, but with the proper tools, making your own pumpkin bong is way easier than you think!

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Check out Sasha’s 2021 pumpkin bong for two on Youtube