Anyone who wants to learn how to grow pumpkins heavier than a ton has everything to learn from Travis Gienger. On Monday, the 44-year-old from Minnesota won a pumpkin competition in California for the fourth year in a row.
The setup is simple: the heaviest pumpkin wins, and Gienger – a gardening teacher by day – had managed to bring a specimen that weighed in at 1,121 kilos. Clearly heavy, but not in the same class as his world record from last year, where the scale showed 1,247 kilos.
The secret behind the prize-winning pumpkins is a fertile soil and well-nourished plants, according to Gienger. He blames the rainy weather for not setting a record this time.
We had really, really tough weather, but somehow I kept working on it, he says.
The transport of the pumpkin between Minnesota and California took 35 hours for Travis Gienger and his family. Next, they're heading to southern California, where sculptors will make the pumpkin Halloween-ready.
