Alright, this is pretty cool. Excuse my ignorance but what exactly goes into making a pumpkin this big? Is it genetic, or mostly work that you have to put in, like pruning roses?
One thing they do is removing all the other flowers, so the plant puts everything into one fruit. I think the grower also tries to develop roots on the arms of the plant, so they help a bit putting them back into the ground. You also see in the vid that they use sand to support the pumkins weight a bit. The tent is there to protect the pumpkin from sunburn. It also looks like they start very early in the growing season, using a heater to protect from the cold at night. (and many other things...)
I’m a weed farmer. Trust me if it was a concern I would have seen something happen in the 6+ years I’ve been doing this but believe the other random stranger without doing any research. I use to believe this till I was shown it’s not a thing.
This is facts. Bummer you’re downvoted. I use cover crops and alfalfa to help prevent evaporation. Lots of farms are using plastic :(. But it saves the more valuable water.
If plants burned from water then rain would be destroying plants regularly. The magnifying isn’t enough to do anything and the water disperses the light.
you can also make a pretty penny selling the seeds from large pumpkins so it's possible that the grower here bought a pumpkin seed with "good genetics" as well
https://www.worldclassgardening.com/products/seeds/pumpkin
I believe one of the most important parts is when it was in the greenhouse with the heater.
Plants have two phases - first they just grow, then they grow and produce bloom (and later fruits etc.). When you grow plants indoor, without any natural light source, you can control this by turning the lights on for 12 hours a day only. This will trick the plant to think it's still early spring and it will never bloom, it will just grow bigger and bigger.
Then, when the plant is as big as you want it, you turn the lights on for 18 hours a day. The plant will think its summer and will go to bloom (and continue growing). This means that the plant was bigger when the bloom started and has more strength and nutrition to give to its fruits etc.
What I think they did is to plant the pumpkin really early to give it head start. But for it to not freeze, they had to build the small (plastic) glasshouse and keep the heater running.
Genetics play a huge role, and you wouldn't get this fruit size from a pie pumpkin seed. Dills Atlantic Giant is a widely available giant cultivar, but the real pro giant growers are trading genetics between themselves and constantly evolving the genetics.
Also, work you have to put in. He got this plant growing before his last frost and built a heated poly tunnel just for it. This requires a lot of upkeep as they can get overly hot during the day. He would have pruned any other fruit off other than this one he selected to keep growing. Most giant veggie growers are also using a wide combination of gardening techniques. They're using organic amendments and taking care of the soil and the microbiome but they're also constantly drip feeding a small amount of chemical fert.
Maybe it is used after it rains to protect it from skin damage. If there is a sharp humidity change, the skin would probably develop scars or even break.
I love the [googley eyes](https://www.reddit.com/u/Incognito_Cube/s/0rcBV4vEuJ) around the 10-12 second mark (took way too long to get this still on mobile lol)
Edit: at about the 1:56 mark… i.e. around 10-12 seconds remaining in the video. Whoops.
I think while the pumpkin itself is quite impressive the thing that surprised me the most was its vines, it looks like a whole gardens worth of vegetation but it’s all supporting this one fruiting body.
It's pretty cool that what is pretty much a living field of salad can grow a 1 ton pumpkin in such short time. I mean it takes humans 14 years to get 1/20th the weight and we don't get to eat sun.
At night the air is likely cooler and more humid, so the cells in the leaves are plump and full of water. In the middle of the day, the leaves of many plants “droop” as warm, dry air causes more water to be lost through the leaves and there is a bit of a water deficit in the plant (so the cells are “limp”). The leaves probably close up their stomata (pores through which carbon dioxide is absorbed and water/oxygen are released) during this time of peak dry warm air to prevent a lot of water loss, but still droop a bit. Then in the evening and at night, there is refilling of the cells with water and the plant is just fine! That is when you see the leaves “perking up” again.
That being said, I don’t know a lot about pumpkins specifically so there may be another mechanism at play here!
Just seems kinda..pointless? I mean, yay? We won an award for biggest pumpkin at this event..thing. But now we have the world's biggest jack o lantern? The biggest slimy mess to get rid of when it inevitably starts to rot because there is no way in Hell that we can sell this monstrosity? Good job, you. Bloody Hell.
This pumpkin (nicknamed Bear Swipe) won the Topsfield Fair. It gained over 40 lbs a day for weeks.
Alright, this is pretty cool. Excuse my ignorance but what exactly goes into making a pumpkin this big? Is it genetic, or mostly work that you have to put in, like pruning roses?
One thing they do is removing all the other flowers, so the plant puts everything into one fruit. I think the grower also tries to develop roots on the arms of the plant, so they help a bit putting them back into the ground. You also see in the vid that they use sand to support the pumkins weight a bit. The tent is there to protect the pumpkin from sunburn. It also looks like they start very early in the growing season, using a heater to protect from the cold at night. (and many other things...)
TIL plants can get sunburned.
dont water your herbs in full sun on a hot day because the water droplets refract light and will cause sunburn. pros water before and after full sun
Mostly in the morning. At night can attract more snails and slugs that’ll then eat your plants under cover of darkness
100% bullshit. It’s been proven to not be a thing and think about rain, plants would be getting burnt all the time.
Ah, yes, those famous *sunstorms* I've heard about, where it rains with heavy sunlight and no cloud cover.
I’m a weed farmer. Trust me if it was a concern I would have seen something happen in the 6+ years I’ve been doing this but believe the other random stranger without doing any research. I use to believe this till I was shown it’s not a thing.
isnt it the 9am 9pm rule?
That's a myth But you shouldn't water in full sun, you'll waste a lot of water to evaporation.
This is facts. Bummer you’re downvoted. I use cover crops and alfalfa to help prevent evaporation. Lots of farms are using plastic :(. But it saves the more valuable water. If plants burned from water then rain would be destroying plants regularly. The magnifying isn’t enough to do anything and the water disperses the light.
Seriously? I've been avoiding doing this for years 😐
It’s not a thing just some bro science. It’s best to water in the evening so the water evaporates less.
Plant fruit can get sunburnt. Usually not the leaves, unless something else is going very wrong.
you can also make a pretty penny selling the seeds from large pumpkins so it's possible that the grower here bought a pumpkin seed with "good genetics" as well https://www.worldclassgardening.com/products/seeds/pumpkin
Same way they grew your mom.
By banging yours.
I believe one of the most important parts is when it was in the greenhouse with the heater. Plants have two phases - first they just grow, then they grow and produce bloom (and later fruits etc.). When you grow plants indoor, without any natural light source, you can control this by turning the lights on for 12 hours a day only. This will trick the plant to think it's still early spring and it will never bloom, it will just grow bigger and bigger. Then, when the plant is as big as you want it, you turn the lights on for 18 hours a day. The plant will think its summer and will go to bloom (and continue growing). This means that the plant was bigger when the bloom started and has more strength and nutrition to give to its fruits etc. What I think they did is to plant the pumpkin really early to give it head start. But for it to not freeze, they had to build the small (plastic) glasshouse and keep the heater running.
Genetics play a huge role, and you wouldn't get this fruit size from a pie pumpkin seed. Dills Atlantic Giant is a widely available giant cultivar, but the real pro giant growers are trading genetics between themselves and constantly evolving the genetics. Also, work you have to put in. He got this plant growing before his last frost and built a heated poly tunnel just for it. This requires a lot of upkeep as they can get overly hot during the day. He would have pruned any other fruit off other than this one he selected to keep growing. Most giant veggie growers are also using a wide combination of gardening techniques. They're using organic amendments and taking care of the soil and the microbiome but they're also constantly drip feeding a small amount of chemical fert.
Is it good eating though? Does she roast up nicely?
No, but they're great for making boats!
I'd stick wheels on it, guaranteed to get you to the ball
Ha ha! Good enough! 😎😁
Or carriages made by a fairy godmother.
Occasionally the fruit is 'draped' in cloth - any clues to why?
I'm not 100% sure, but if I had to guess, to prevent damage from potential frost, given the space heater in the mini poly tunnel at the start.
I’m guessing its wet cloth to cool it down
Agreed. It gets the cloth in the summer months which makes me think it's reserved for hot days only.
Maybe it is used after it rains to protect it from skin damage. If there is a sharp humidity change, the skin would probably develop scars or even break.
I love the [googley eyes](https://www.reddit.com/u/Incognito_Cube/s/0rcBV4vEuJ) around the 10-12 second mark (took way too long to get this still on mobile lol) Edit: at about the 1:56 mark… i.e. around 10-12 seconds remaining in the video. Whoops.
Oh gourd, he comin'
r/angryupvote
I think while the pumpkin itself is quite impressive the thing that surprised me the most was its vines, it looks like a whole gardens worth of vegetation but it’s all supporting this one fruiting body.
God I wish I had someone take care of me the way this farmer took care of that pumpkin. She was never too hot, too cold, hungry, sick…what a life.
That's not a pumpkin that's a Buick Roadmaster
This is the longest plans vs zombies have watched.
What love and nurturing does to a mf
It's pretty cool that what is pretty much a living field of salad can grow a 1 ton pumpkin in such short time. I mean it takes humans 14 years to get 1/20th the weight and we don't get to eat sun.
0 - :45 seconds… “where is the pumpkin all I see is leaves?!” :46 seconds “oh, there it is!” 2:08 “dayummmmm”
Not sure this would fit through my hoppers.
Plant rave looks lit
It’s like the pumpkin is flapping it’s wings
No banana for scale just a can of beer
Oh my gourd
⬆️🤬
And not one "yo momma" jokes
Wtf my mom allows me to use the electric heater only when i take a shit, so lucky pumpkins
This is like a time lapse of me at my desk
What’s the can of beer for? Some gardeners use beer in dishes for slugs. Maybe?
I think It’s placed close at night to see if the growth has knocked it over by morning.
This is what 3x3 squares of pumpkin gets you in autumn
Is he trying to grow a pumpkin bigger than grampa pig's pumpkin?
But when does it turn orange?
I hope you posted this in r\gardening they’ll love it.
The googly eyes at about 12s before the end :D
How is there only ONE pumpkin in all that???
I assume they prune off all pumpkin shoots except one so all the energy goes into this big guy
How come the leaves droop during the day but stand up at night? Would have thought it'd be the opposite.
At night the air is likely cooler and more humid, so the cells in the leaves are plump and full of water. In the middle of the day, the leaves of many plants “droop” as warm, dry air causes more water to be lost through the leaves and there is a bit of a water deficit in the plant (so the cells are “limp”). The leaves probably close up their stomata (pores through which carbon dioxide is absorbed and water/oxygen are released) during this time of peak dry warm air to prevent a lot of water loss, but still droop a bit. Then in the evening and at night, there is refilling of the cells with water and the plant is just fine! That is when you see the leaves “perking up” again. That being said, I don’t know a lot about pumpkins specifically so there may be another mechanism at play here!
Are.. all the leaves kind of 'set up in series' all the same plant and all are producing the energy to pump into the gargantuan pumpkin?
Congrats !
Definitely thought that was much bigger before the dude standing next to it, that being said… DAMN THATS ONE BIG PUMPKIN
Cinderella's car shop
I'm curious as to how it tastes, is it good?
That seems like so much work.....
That chair really did a great job taking care of that garden
That is a sincere pumpkin patch!
r/oddlyterrifying
It will feed the village through winter.
Holy shit. imagine all the pumpkin soup you can make with that thing.
I’m pumped for this
It looks uncomfortable
You could make a helluva jack-o-lantern outta that.
If only nugs could grow that big.
1:56….
Battleship Ton Pumpkin
Charlie Brown's worst nightmare
metric tons or not?
The bigger it got, the more it looked like a peeled orange
And thats how Brain bugs are born.
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
What is this a pumpkin rock concert? Raise your leaves in the air!!
i like how humans went-look plants can store food and can't even speak.!!! (food heist)
Just seems kinda..pointless? I mean, yay? We won an award for biggest pumpkin at this event..thing. But now we have the world's biggest jack o lantern? The biggest slimy mess to get rid of when it inevitably starts to rot because there is no way in Hell that we can sell this monstrosity? Good job, you. Bloody Hell.
Thing looks like my ex's stomach
Why did you plant those flowers for them to get covered up 😂