FLOWERS and artistic shapes could be the best way to impress when carving your pumpkin this year, but the original face design is still a Halowe'en classic.
Skilled carver Tracey Lloyd, of Windmill Community Gardens in Bobbers Mill, is plugging the artistic designs.
You can enter yours in the Nottingham Post's pumpkin carving competition by simply posting your pictures online before November 3.
Tracey, the gardens' education worker at Windmill, said: "There's lots of different things you can do. The faces are a lot of fun but you can be even more creative by going for a multi-layered effect.
"My favourite is to go for layers of flowers all around the pumpkin - they look fantastic."
Getting the right tools is important too, Tracey added. A proper pumpkin carving knife is the best way and you can pick them up anywhere these days. You should use it like a saw and if you can't get hold of one, chop off the top of the pumpkin with a bread knife."
"Unless you're a skilled knife user you're better off avoiding them, especially around kids.
Tracey's tips for the perfect pumpkin include scraping the flesh out to leave just a 1.5cm shell to get the optimum glow.
"There are also lots of different types of pumpkins you can use," Tracey continued. "And it's becoming more and more popular for people to grow their own. My favourite is a Petit Marron, which tastes a bit like chestnuts. The leftovers make a good pumpkin risotto, pumpkin curry, pumpkin pizza or even pumpkin fudge."
Tracey is staging pumpkin carving demonstrations on October 25 at the gardens in Ascot Road between 3pm and 6pm.
Prizes will be handed out for the best decorated pumpkin and the biggest on show for the veg growers out there.
Carrington Greengrocers the Thompson Brothers say buying your pumpkin at the right time plays an important role.
"If you buy them too early they go off," said Andrew Thompson, 39, who runs the shop in Haydn Road with twin brother Stephen. "I'd say the best time to buy is about a week before, then they're perfectly ripe."
But demand at this spooky time of the year, he added.
"You're best off not leaving it too late. We always have a mad rush the day before and people can be left disappointed.
"Supermarkets and greengrocers, no one wants to have leftover pumpkins because after Halowe'en no one buys them."
But Mr Thompson is confident that this year has seen a decent yield of the famous orange fruit.
"This year has gone quite well according to farmers," he said. "We've had some rough years in the past. Just two years ago a farm that usually produces 3,000 grew about 12. We always plan in advance and should have about 100 here to sell for £1.50."
To enter the Post's online quest to find Nottinghamshire's prized pumpkin, simply upload your photos to Facebook /TheNottinghamPost or on Twitter @NottinghamPost using the #GhostPost hashtag.
The winning entry will win a £25 Amazon gift voucher and take home the crown of best pumpkin in Nottinghamshire.
The final deadline is 10am on November 3.
