Thompson & Morgan: Pumpkin Competition

IS YOURS A WHOPPER? Win up to £10,000!

They say size isn’t everything, but there are times in life when only the biggest will do. And when it comes to pumpkins, Thompson & Morgan are firm believers that biggest really is the best.

With that in mind, the company is offering thousands of pounds in prize money to anyone who grows a world or UK record-breaking pumpkin.

The competition has been organised as part of the Jubilee Sailiing Trust’s Annual Pumpkin Festival and raises funds for the charity. The JST operates sailing trips to enable people of all physical abilities to take part in activities on the water.

Now in its 12th year, the festival will be held in Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley, Southampton, on October 10 2009. With £10,000 on offer to the grower of a pumpkin that breaks the world record and £1,000 for breaking the UK record, the prizes are worth fighting it out for! Cash prizes of between £200 and £30 are on offer to the top ten winners on the day too.

Thompson & Morgan Young Plants managing director Paul Hansord said: “We never do things by halves when it comes to growing our plants, so getting involved in a competition to grow the biggest and best is perfect. “My own interest in giant pumpkin growing dates back more than 30 years, so I’ll be taking a keen interest in the competition, and I really hope to be handing over the prize for a world-record breaker!”

Among those organising the event is expert pumpkin grower Ian Patten, who will also be taking on the challenge of trying to grow a whopper. Mr Patten and his brother Stuart are currently the UK record holders for growing the biggest pumpkin, which weighed in at a monster 1,457lbs (660kg). The pair have travelled round the country with their mammoth pumpkin and even appeared on the BBC children’s programme Blue Peter, where the monster vegetable was transformed into a sailing boat!

“We know we’re going to grow a big one this year,” said Ian. “We’ve held the European record and the British record, but we want the world record, which is currently 1,689 pounds. “I’d like to think this year we’ll get up to 1,500 pounds, most pumpkins in the competition will be about 1,000 pounds, but there is also a smaller weigh-off competition as well.”

Mr Patten will be organising the competition through his Extreme Pumpkin Growers group, which takes part in competitions all over the world. Visitors the event will also be able to seeing pumpkin carving, taste pumpkin recipes, including breads and wine, take part in other competitions and watch the all-important weigh-off of the giant pumpkin competition.

The Annual Pumpkin Festival will be held in Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley, Southampton, on October 10 2009.

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Did you know…?

• The current world record for the largest pumpkin stands at 1,689lbs. While in the UK, the current record holders are Ian and Stuart Patten, with their 1,457lb pumpkin.

• The UK record is also in the top ten of the largest pumpkins ever grown in the world.

• A monster pumpkin can grow around one inch in girth every day – that’s about 25lbs in weight.

• Pumpkins are part of the squash family of vegetables, which also includes marrows, courgettes, butternut squash and melons.