Growing giant pumpkins emerged out of the North American agricultural tradition.
The Smithsonian notes that giant pumpkins "improbably" date back to Henry David Thoreau, who in 1857 grew a pumpkin weighing 123 lb.
The 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair was the first competition for giant pumpkins with the winning gourd weighing 365 lbs.
By 1900 The pumpkins were increasing in size with the winning pumpkin weighting 400 lbs.
The Biggest Pumpkin World record was set on October 10, 2023, in Half Moon Bay, CA! It weighed 2,749 pounds. The grower, Gienger, won $9 per pound, or $24,741, and a special $30,000 "mega-prize" for the new world record.
Giant pumpkins have been selectively bred and grown to reach extraordinary sizes.
1970 Howard Dill of NovaAcotia Canada developed the variety Cucurbita maxima, which has been responsible for many world-record-breaking pumpkins.
Giant pumpkins can grow at astonishing rates, sometimes gaining 20–30 pounds in a single day!
Giant pumpkins require a significant amount of water—often several gallons per day during peak growth—and frequent fertilization to support their rapid development.
They are prone to cracking due to their immense size and rapid growth.
Seeds of prize-winning giant pumpkins are extremely valuable, with single seeds selling for up to $850.
These pumpkin seeds have pedigrees similar to ones used in horse racing.
Giant pumpkin competitions are held in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Popular events include the annual weigh-offs at the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival in California and the Topsfield Fair in Massachusetts.
Aside from weight competitions, giant pumpkins are sometimes hollowed out and used in boat races or displayed at autumn festivals.
Giant pumpkins are an amazing example of human agricultural innovation and dedication, and they have a strong community of growers passionate about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in pumpkin growing.
Even though they have lots of meat, They are not used for eating due to the stringy and flavorless nature of the pulp.
I know that in our area many pumpkin patches donate the leftover pumpkins for livestock consumption.
In 2010 in Ohio, the largest pumpkin pie ever baked was not from a giant pumpkin, but it weighed 3,699 pounds and was over 20 feet in diameter. It took 1,212 pounds of canned pumpkin, 2,796 eggs, 525 pounds of sugar, and 440 sheets of dough to make the pie.
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