Ian Patton and his giant pumpkin. (Emma Trimble via SWNS)
By Adam Dutton
A gardener has grown a giant pumpkin weighing more than a ton for this year's National Giant Veg contest.
Ian Patton, 66, spent five hours a day for two months cultivating the gigantic 198 stone (2,772 lbs; 1,257.99kg) squash in Lymington, Hampshire.
The gardener transported his prize pumpkin over four-and-a-half hours to the Malvern Autumn Show on Thursday on the back of a friend's flatbed.
The 1.2 ton vegetable was so big a telehandler was needed to winch it onto scales at the country show.
(Emma Trimble via SWNS)
By Talker
Ian revealed the secret for getting the giant squash so big is large quantities of water and boron to increase saturation.
The 66-year-old granddad-of-three said: "We own the world record already.
"This one was taping at 2,600lb at home but it was actually heavier - it's 2,773.4lb.
"I've only got the one entry, pumpkins are enough to do.
"You can spend five or six hours working in the patch, seven days a week, for two months.
"I have to bury the vines to get extra roots. If I get an extra route down, it's a 1,000 extra routes which makes them grow bigger.
"This one would've been growing for 60lb a day, so just imagine how much water that is.
"Someone kindly lent me their truck to get it here, it caused some looks on the motorway.
"I used to grow them with my twin brother, but he retired last year.
"I want to grow one that's over 3,000lb - that's the main goal for me."
(Emma Trimble via SWNS)
By Talker
Ian and his twin brother Stuart currently hold the world record for the heaviest pumpkin in 2025, weighing 2,819 pounds and 4 ounces (1,278.8 kg).
Ian added: "I've been doing this for over 50 years, it's pumpkin sickness.
"We grow them inside, temperature is a big thing - they want to be around 18-20 degrees.
"Feeding wise they don't get much at all, it's really just water - they don't get much.
"They get a trace element called boron, which moves the calcium, which then moves the water around the plant.
"You need the genetics, too.
"They grow about a foot and a half in every direction, and the plants are huge, so you need to be prepared."
(Emma Trimble via SWNS)
By Talker
Elsewhere in the show, former BT senior manager Graham, from Abbeydale, Gloucester, has nine entries this year and has already smashed the record for the tallest cucumber plant at 7.5m (24ft).
Serial winner Joe Atherton, 71, who bagged the world record for the longest radish in 2024 and 2025, has returned with 20 entries.
He is hoping to claim top spot again with his 13kg cantaloupe melon and giant onions weighing a combined 18.5kg.
The retired miner, from Mansfield, Notts., said: "The melon and the potatoes have the best shot, and possibly the onions.
"It's all about the wait for the weighing, then we'll know."
Revealing his secrets for producing monster veg, Joe added: "It's all about getting the right seeds, and a bit of know-how.
"You get that stage right and then everything else fits in.
"There will be one or two wheeler dealings for seeds here I'm sure."
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