Advertisement

Schoolboy grows pumpkin heavier than he is

Seven-year-old Tasker Williams’ whopping pumpkin was the heaviest in the Monmouth School Boys’ Prep competition, weighing an impressive 79kg (Monmouth School)
Seven-year-old Tasker Williams’ whopping pumpkin was the heaviest in the Monmouth School Boys’ Prep competition, weighing an impressive 79kg (Monmouth School)

A boy in Wales has won his school’s annual pumpkin-growing competition by producing a prodigious 174-pound (79kg) pumpkin.

Seven-year-old Tasker Williams, of Monmouth School Boys’ Prep, said the enormous fruit – the weight of an adult human – was so heavy his father had difficulty maneuvering it from the car and into the school building.

The schoolboy had planted the seeds in a pot at his family’s home in the town of Usk, in May, but due to some building work at the house over the summer, Tasker then moved the seedlings to a friend’s vegetable patch in the village of Llandogo in the Wye Valley.

“I watered the seeds once every couple of weeks and we surrounded the patch with manure and compost,” he said.

“A few pumpkins started to grow in the patch and we left two in the ground.”

The soil in the family friend’s vegetable patch appeared very fertile and the field itself is surrounded by wildlife, including deer.

Tasker Williams grew the epic pumpkin in the village of LlandogoMonmouth School
Tasker Williams grew the epic pumpkin in the village of LlandogoMonmouth School

“It was great fun looking after the pumpkins and I was really excited to water them and to see them grow,” Tasker said.

“I was amazed that one of the pumpkins almost grew as big as me. It was so big that my dad found it hard to get it out of the ground so I could enter the competition.”

The school said the pumpkin-growing competition is a long-standing tradition and always one of the highlights of the academic year.

Prizes were also handed out for best colour, most perfect shape, and most perfect Cinderella-like carriage.

Seven-year-old Tasker Williams, from Usk, (left) with his whopping 79kg pumpkin and fellow Year 3 grower, Vincent Hanratty, who lives in ChepstowMonmouth School
Seven-year-old Tasker Williams, from Usk, (left) with his whopping 79kg pumpkin and fellow Year 3 grower, Vincent Hanratty, who lives in ChepstowMonmouth School

Pupils explained to their peers how they grew their fruit and the boys also tried to guess the weight of each pumpkin before it was placed on the scales.

Headteacher Neil Shaw said: “Growing a pumpkin successfully can take up to 12 months and involves a lot of care and attention, so the children showed excellent judgement, nurturing skills and dedication during a very difficult time.

“The weather conditions over the summer were very challenging too for all home gardeners and growers.”

He added: “Everyone who took part this year should be very satisfied with their outstanding and eye-catching efforts.”

Read more

Father and son grow monster pumpkin that weights over 1,500 pounds

Man grows monster pumpkin weighing 84lbs, breaking family record