Carve pumpkins on this date to ensure they last until Halloween
This is the perfect date to carve your pumpkins so they look just as spooky come October 31 as they did the day they were carved
Halloween is rapidly approaching and you might have already begun sprucing up your home for the frightening festivities. Nevertheless, you probably haven't started carving pumpkins just yet - and there's a perfectly good reason for that.
Nobody fancies trick-or-treating at a property sporting a rotten pumpkin, unless it is part of the aesthetic, and getting creative with your knife now guarantees your masterpiece will have deteriorated by Halloween. With this in mind, Matt Marshall, home decoration expert at Quote My Wall, has revealed the perfect date to start sculpting your pumpkins.
He said: "Once you open up a pumpkin, it starts to rot and attract mould - which is definitely not the kind of scary you want.
"To keep your creation fresh, aim to carve it from October 26 onwards. That way, your pumpkin will still look great come Halloween night."
Nevertheless, whilst you should hold off until just a few days before Halloween to carve the pumpkin, you can still venture out to your local pumpkin patch anytime over the coming weeks.
Matt added: "Pumpkins can actually last anywhere from eight to twelve weeks. That means you can plan your pumpkin-picking trip well in advance."
How to select the ideal pumpkin
Along with timing your carving, Matt has offered some guidance on choosing the right pumpkin.
His initial tip is to examine for any marks or signs of damage, as these can cause the pumpkin to deteriorate much quicker than it would normally. Firmness is another crucial aspect to consider.
"Soft pumpkin is already starting to rot, whereas a hard one will last longer. And look out for a green stem - that means it's still unripened and will stay fresher for longer."
Lastly, you should choose the right size for your carving skills. Smaller pumpkins can be more challenging to carve, so if you're not an expert carver, it might be wise to stick with the larger ones.