ALOWYN Gardens and Nursery in Yarra Glen is holding a Great Pumpkin growing competition from November this year to March next year.
Giant pumpkins have been grown in America for many generations and now Australia is joining in.
The biggest pumpkins come from the variety called ‘Atlantic Giant’.
The current world record for an Atlantic Giant pumpkin is held by Beni Meier from Switzerland, with a whopping 1054kg pumpkin.
Dale Oliver, from Knockrow in NSW, holds the Giant Pumpkin Australian record, with an impressive 743kg pumpkin.
Alowyn Gardens has purchased genuine Atlantic Giant seed from Eden Seeds in Victoria and growing packs are for sale to the public.
Fifteen primary schools have also been invited to partake and have been sent growing packs for the school vegie patch.
Giant pumpkins require lots of sun and lots of water to grow quickly.
When young, their skin is soft, therefore allowing the pumpkin to grow quickly and put on the kilo.
If you enter the world of giant pumpkin growing, plan to spend a lot of time pampering and nurturing your plants to grow pumpkins at a phenomenal speed.
There will be a pumpkin display and weigh-in at the end of March at Alowyn Gardens and Nursery over the Easter weekend next year.
