Giant pumpkin growers go to the extreme

Just like gardeners, the act of gardening can take on many forms. As you and I fret over important backyard challenges such as why our hydrangeas aren’t blooming or how come that tomato just won’t ripen fast enough, others are dealing with much bigger issues. Scattered across the country, there are a few thousand “extreme gardeners” who methodically plod through the art and science of competing to grow the world’s largest pumpkin each year.

Steve Connolly of Sharon, Mass., is one such gardener.

Soft-spoken mechanical engineer by day, giant-pumpkin-growing superhero by night and on weekends, Connolly’s been in the news a lot lately. With just a few weeks before the big weigh-off, word was getting around that this might be the all-time mother of all pumpkins!

Until now, the world record, set by Joe Jutras’ offering in 2007, was an astounding 1,698 pounds, shattering the previous record of 1,502 pounds set just the previous year. Although approximating weights is not an exact science, they can be calculated from measuring the size.

With more than a week to go, Connolly’s pumpkin appeared to be approaching 1,900 pounds. Although the final, official weight would not be known for more than a week, all eyes and ears were on this “Beast from the East,” as it had been affectionately dubbed.

Ironically, in spite of all the efforts to beef up weight and mass during the growing phase (gaining in excess of 40 pounds per day during its peak), this pumpkin had become so big on a hearty diet of organic nutrients that it was at risk of breaking up or even exploding. That’s exactly what happened to the other four pumpkins Connolly was nurturing as possible contenders. Now down to his last card, efforts were made to drastically slow the growth. Roots were severed, water intake slashed and, I’m betting, a few prayers lifted up — all in an effort to keep it intact for just a few more days.

This was a story garnering huge national media attention and a cult following growing as fast as his pumpkin.

On the glorious fall Saturday morning of Oct. 11, Connolly and his small army successfully transported it to the Topsfield Fair weigh-off in Topsfield, Mass., for the moment of truth. A large audience witnessed the drama as the weigh-off was down to the final two contenders: Jutras’ entry and the Beast from the East.

With great fanfare, Jutras’ pumpkin weighed in at an impressive 1,507 pounds, the heaviest of the day — so far. As Connolly’s entry was reverently hoisted onto the scales, a hushed murmur could be heard rapidly spreading through the crowd. Audience members had detected what Connolly was now seeing for the first time — a small leak in the bottom of the pumpkin. His worst fears were coming true right before his eyes. Although it weighed in at 1,568 pounds (the largest pumpkin in the world for 2008), the rules are very clear. Due to this slight but costly imperfection, the Beast was out of contention!

Although no denying Connolly’s disappointment, he immediately started looking ahead. It was quickly transported back home, where he harvested 584 seeds from the belly of this otherwise flawless pumpkin.

For many competitors, growing record-setting vegetables is more business than gardening. Seeds from a consistent winning cultivar can fetch as much as $500 each. Connolly already had numerous offers to purchase his seeds. Indeed, for the last 12 years, new records have been set with every competition. Much of that is due to advances in the genetic breeding of champion seeds.

Connolly the businessman and competitor is indeed eyeing the future. The seed for next year is now safely stored away. But, he notes, it’s the gardener in him that has another trick up his sleeve — and just possibly, the key to the 2009 world-record pumpkin.

Joe Lamp’l, host of “Fresh From the Garden” on the DIY Network and “GardenSMART” on PBS, is a master gardener and author. For more information, visit www.joegardener.com and www.DIYnetwork.com.