We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What are Some of the Biggest Pumpkins That Have Ever Been Grown?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 6,472
Share

Around late September or October each year, you may see local or state contests for biggest pumpkins of the season. Competitive pumpkin growing to produce some of the biggest pumpkins in the world is hefty news indeed, and even the Guinness Book of World Records keeps track of these super large squash. Though subject to change, Joe Jutras of Massachusetts currently holds the world record for biggest pumpkin, growing an amazing 1689-pound (766.12 kg) pumpkin in 2007. Jutras’ accomplishment was clearly something to write home about, since he beat the previous record by close to 200 pounds.

The current threshold for determining the really big pumpkins is about 1500 pounds (680.39), with most state records in the US and records in several other countries not getting anywhere Justas’ current world record. There are a few states that seem to rejoice in some of the biggest pumpkins. California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Oregon have all boasted pumpkins that exceed the 1500-pound threshold. At present the biggest pumpkins produced are in the US and in Canada. Most other countries produce some very large pumpkins, but haven’t yet reached that 1500-pound marker.

There are many tips on how to grow some of the biggest pumpkins in the world, and these primarily come down to using top rate soil, with good fertilizing agents and growing the pumpkins in full sun. Special protection has to be taken to make sure pumpkins don’t encounter late frosts of spring weather. Growers may start their giant pumpkins inside, and later they might utilize things like lamps or heaters to provide warmer night temperatures.

There’s also quite a bit of discussion about which pumpkin seeds may be best suited for growing giant pumpkins. There is no clear consensus on this matter. Some growers recommend Goliath Giant Pumpkin seeds as good performers, and others are equally passionate about other types of seeds. You can view these arguments on many sites online devoted to giant pumpkin growing.

One thing is fairly certain. The biggest pumpkins tend not to make the best pies. Though enormous pumpkins may seem like the perfect way to eat pie all the way through fall and winter, pie makers tend to favor sugar pie pumpkins, which typically only weigh about five pounds (2.27 kg). Sugar pie pumpkins have the additional advantage of being much easier to lift, and they will fit quite simply into a standard oven.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By bagley79 — On Jun 08, 2011

Every fall we head to a pumpkin patch farm and let the kids pick out their own pumpkin to make into a jack-o-lantern. This is one of our favorite family activities and these jack o lantern pumpkins are always a fun reminder of fall.

We have our own family contest to see who can find the biggest pumpkin to carry home. The rule is they have to be able to carry the pumpkin by themselves. Sometimes they go with a shape they like instead of finding the biggest one. Either way, it is just as much fun going to the patch and finding the perfect pumpkin as it is taking them home and decorating them.

By golf07 — On Jun 06, 2011

I live in a Midwestern state and our annual state fairs is known to be one of the best in the country. Because we have so much agriculture in our state, they have the states largest pumpkin contest every year. I do not know how these compare in size the the world's biggest pumpkin winners, but they look pretty big to me.

The pumpkins are scattered throughout the fair grounds, and marked with their size weight. These are not normal sized pumpkins that you can pick up with your hands and carry around. I don't know how they get them transported to the fair and place around the grounds, but I do know it is not by hand.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-are-some-of-the-biggest-pumpkins-that-have-ever-been-grown.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.