How to grow a giant pumpkin, with help from science
October 4, 2025
Every year, growers raise giant pumpkins and compete in annual weigh-offs against other colossal fruits. They choose seeds that have yielded large pumpkins in the past or test new ones. After that, it comes down to the right combination of water, nutrients and care. As the leafy patch expands, growers remove smaller pumpkins that sprout. Because of gravity, giant pumpkins grow wide but not tall. Pumpkins aren’t the only crops that can get massive. Other members of the gourd family like squashes, cucumbers and watermelons also can get huge.