Hot, dry summer may be good news for P.E.I.'s giant pumpkin growers prepping for weigh-off

It's been a rather hot and dry summer on Prince Edward Island, which is not ideal for most farmers, but potentially a blessing in disguise for those trying to grow the province's next giant pumpkin champion.

Mark Tremere, P.E.I.'s reigning champion pumpkin grower, said he had an early start this year. His main entry for this fall's weigh-off was pollinated nearly a month ago and already weighs about 77 kilograms (170 pounds).

But just 10 days in, the pumpkin developed a crack.

"I've been nursing that, along with some fans and some fungicide powder to dry it up and heal up," he told CBC's Island Morning. "It's doing well 20 days after that crack and it has scabbed over, and I am… optimistic about it."

Island Morning5:25How P.E.I's giant pumpkins have been getting by in the heat

It’s been a hot, dry summer, so what does that mean for giant pumpkin season? P.E.I.’s reigning champ Mark Tremere tells us how his prized gourds are holding up and what he’s watching for as fall approaches.

Tremere said less rain this summer might actually give him an advantage. With drier conditions, he's been able to better control the amount of water his plants receive using his sprinkler system.

"With less rain, I don't get deluged with [an overwhelming] amount of water that will burst the pumpkin."

This year, he's been more careful with his watering and has tweaked his fertilizing patterns and micronutrients, hoping to see better results than last year.

'I hope to beat him someday'

The current world record for the heaviest pumpkin is 1,243 kilograms (2,741 pounds), grown over six months by Guinness World Record holder Travis Gienger in Minnesota.

As for Tremere, he won top prizes in the pumpkin and squash categories at last year's P.E.I. Giant Pumpkin and Squash Weigh-off.

The Marshfield, P.E.I., grower took home $750 for his 678-kilogram (1,495-pound) pumpkin and another $200 for his first-place squash, which weighed in at 361 kilograms (796.6 pounds).

Tremere said the P.E.I. record for heaviest pumpkin belongs to Charlottetown's Eddy Shaw, whose pumpkin weighed about 802 kilograms (1,768 pounds) back in 2018.

"I hope to beat him someday. Maybe this year, maybe not. You shall see," Tremere said.

In addition to his main entry, Tremere is growing a different pumpkin for another competition, one that challenges growers to produce the biggest pumpkin in the smallest footprint.

That pumpkin is currently about 63 kilograms and growing in a 150-square-foot area. It's gaining almost seven kilograms a day, and Tremere is hoping to speed that up to 18. And at that speed, he said, you can notice the difference every day.

"You can put a water bottle beside them, and in the morning, they're pushing it over."

WATCH | Great gourds: P.E.I.'s giant pumpkin growers nervous before this year's weigh-off:

Great gourds: P.E.I.'s giant pumpkin growers nervous before this year's weigh-off

10 months ago

Duration 2:44

There are some anxious days ahead for growers hoping to take home the title of P.E.I.'s biggest pumpkin. CBC's Nancy Russell checks in with some of them ahead of the Oct. 12 weigh-off at Kool Breeze Farms in Summerside.

Building a pumpkin-growing community

Earlier this year, Tremere hosted a workshop at the York Community Centre where he shared his best tips and tricks for growing colossal gourds.

"We had a good turnout. There's 40 people there, which was awesome, and we look forward to doing it again," he said.

"It's great to have a community to lean on and get more information and share with. And it just grows the competition and the hobby more."

The 32nd annual P.E.I. Giant Pumpkin and Squash Weigh-off is set to return this October at Kool Breeze Farms in Summerside.