Patience, long timeline needed to grow monster pumpkins
Kruse family participates in statewide 4-H program featuring the growth of extra large fruits, vegetables
Mavis Fodness | Freelance reporter
Growing a monster pumpkin takes a bit of planning — just ask the Joel and Amy Kruse family of Lake Wilson.
Last spring, their son, Abel, an eighth-grader at Murray County Central Schools in Slayton, received five giant pumpkin seeds as part of the University of Minnesota 4-H offering “Grow a Monster: Supersize my Pumpkin.”
The statewide offering began locally in 2021 in Lincoln and Lyon counties and has grown exponentially.
Lyon County Extension Educator Sam Jens coordinates the statewide program from his Marshall location.
“We wanted to introduce youth on how to grow a garden in a unique way by growing something really big,” Jens said.
The initial year garnered 46 local youth participants. Now more than 500 youth participate statewide.
While this year’s focus is on growing a monster pumpkin with previous years featuring zucchini, sunflowers, watermelons in molds or potatoes.
“We supply youth with a learning guide, seeds, biweekly project check-ins, three webinars about plant growth, careers, showcase options and harvest,” Jens said. “This gives support to participants at all steps of the process to help them get the best out of their experience with growing a monster.”
For comparison across the state, 4-H’ers were able to submit the size (in pounds) of their largest pumpkin to compete for the title of Minnesota’s biggest pumpkin. The contest deadline was Oct. 16.
Abel, 14, grew a monster pumpkin estimated at 170 pounds. Mom, Amy, said Abel’s entry is not the largest.
“We have not seen any results,” she said. “I did see someone else turned one in for 200-plus.”
A seasoned small livestock exhibitor, Abel’s previous attempts at gardening hasn’t matched that of his success in raising and showing rabbits.
In previous gardening projects, Abel tried growing potatoes and Indian corn.
“We failed both of those projects,” Amy said.
Future failures may have come to an end early this spring when Amy saw the “Grow a Monster” notice in the 4-H newsletter. She knew the project could be successful for Abel, who was born with hydrocephalus, which limits his ability to concentrate and communicate.
“We said right away that this is a great project for Abel,” Amy said. “He speaks one or two words at a time so we are always looking for simple projects for him.”
The Kruses already grew smaller versions of the monster pumpkins as treats for their goat herd. They also grow fresh produce each year for eating and canning, a task Abel enjoys.
However, they learned monster pumpkins grow on a different timeline than the smaller pumpkins.
The contest began when families throughout Minnesota received a mailed packet that included instructions on seed starting, what to expect in growth and five monster pumpkin seeds.
“Abel started the seeds in three cups in the house in April,” Amy said. “It was about 10 days and he had nothing — we were thinking did he plant them too deep, water too much — and did we fail again?”
As Amy checked on options for another set of pumpkin seeds through MN 4-H, when the first sprouts began to appear in the cups.
Transfer to the family’s outdoor garden was delayed by cool spring weather. When the transfer from the cups to the ground did occurred, 5-gallon pails surrounded the developing vines to prevent damage from wind and the possibility of a late spring frost.
“Before you knew it, they were coming out of the top of the pails,” Amy said. “Abel pulled the pails and watched them vine out and kept watching — seemed like it took forever for blossoms to come.”
By August, the one vine developed one pumpkin. Two other possible pumpkins developed problems.
“The next two got so big they turned into mush. We were thinking we would only have the one,” Amy said. “Towards the middle of August Abel spotted three more coming.”
None reached full maturity for exhibition at the Murray County Fair conducted annually in August. However, a month later the pumpkins were reaching their monster status.
The weekend before the Oct. 16 state contest deadline, the Kruses had four monster candidates for the contest.
“There was just one we could lift — we had to get the skid loader (for the rest),” Amy said.
Plans are to carve one of the monster pumpkins and save the seeds for starting more monster pumpkins next year.
“It’s just for fun to see if we can get a bigger one,” Amy said. “Talking about watering with Miracle Grow.”
Through their previous experience growing pumpkins, the Kruses know to point the developing pumpkin vines toward their grove of trees, where the vines can leave surprises.
“They (the vines) will take over the whole garden very quickly,” Amy said. “One year we had one vine up a tree and a pumpkin grew on a branch of the tree.”
Mavis Fodness | Freelance reporter
Growing a monster pumpkin takes a bit of planning — just ask the Joel and Amy Kruse family of Lake Wilson.
Last spring, their son, Abel, an eighth-grader at Murray County Central Schools in Slayton, received five giant pumpkin seeds as part of the University of Minnesota 4-H offering “Grow a Monster: Supersize my Pumpkin.”
The statewide offering began locally in 2021 in Lincoln and Lyon counties and has grown exponentially.
Lyon County Extension Educator Sam Jens coordinates the statewide program from his Marshall location.
“We wanted to introduce youth on how to grow a garden in a unique way by growing something really big,” Jens said.
The initial year garnered 46 local youth participants. Now more than 500 youth participate statewide.
While this year’s focus is on growing a monster pumpkin with previous years featuring zucchini, sunflowers, watermelons in molds or potatoes.
“We supply youth with a learning guide, seeds, biweekly project check-ins, three webinars about plant growth, careers, showcase options and harvest,” Jens said. “This gives support to participants at all steps of the process to help them get the best out of their experience with growing a monster.”
For comparison across the state, 4-H’ers were able to submit the size (in pounds) of their largest pumpkin to compete for the title of Minnesota’s biggest pumpkin. The contest deadline was Oct. 16.
Abel, 14, grew a monster pumpkin estimated at 170 pounds. Mom, Amy, said Abel’s entry is not the largest.
“We have not seen any results,” she said. “I did see someone else turned one in for 200-plus.”
A seasoned small livestock exhibitor, Abel’s previous attempts at gardening hasn’t matched that of his success in raising and showing rabbits.
In previous gardening projects, Abel tried growing potatoes and Indian corn.
“We failed both of those projects,” Amy said.
Future failures may have come to an end early this spring when Amy saw the “Grow a Monster” notice in the 4-H newsletter. She knew the project could be successful for Abel, who was born with hydrocephalus, which limits his ability to concentrate and communicate.
“We said right away that this is a great project for Abel,” Amy said. “He speaks one or two words at a time so we are always looking for simple projects for him.”
The Kruses already grew smaller versions of the monster pumpkins as treats for their goat herd. They also grow fresh produce each year for eating and canning, a task Abel enjoys.
However, they learned monster pumpkins grow on a different timeline than the smaller pumpkins.
The contest began when families throughout Minnesota received a mailed packet that included instructions on seed starting, what to expect in growth and five monster pumpkin seeds.
“Abel started the seeds in three cups in the house in April,” Amy said. “It was about 10 days and he had nothing — we were thinking did he plant them too deep, water too much — and did we fail again?”
As Amy checked on options for another set of pumpkin seeds through MN 4-H, when the first sprouts began to appear in the cups.
Transfer to the family’s outdoor garden was delayed by cool spring weather. When the transfer from the cups to the ground did occurred, 5-gallon pails surrounded the developing vines to prevent damage from wind and the possibility of a late spring frost.
“Before you knew it, they were coming out of the top of the pails,” Amy said. “Abel pulled the pails and watched them vine out and kept watching — seemed like it took forever for blossoms to come.”
By August, the one vine developed one pumpkin. Two other possible pumpkins developed problems.
“The next two got so big they turned into mush. We were thinking we would only have the one,” Amy said. “Towards the middle of August Abel spotted three more coming.”
None reached full maturity for exhibition at the Murray County Fair conducted annually in August. However, a month later the pumpkins were reaching their monster status.
The weekend before the Oct. 16 state contest deadline, the Kruses had four monster candidates for the contest.
“There was just one we could lift — we had to get the skid loader (for the rest),” Amy said.
Plans are to carve one of the monster pumpkins and save the seeds for starting more monster pumpkins next year.
“It’s just for fun to see if we can get a bigger one,” Amy said. “Talking about watering with Miracle Grow.”
Through their previous experience growing pumpkins, the Kruses know to point the developing pumpkin vines toward their grove of trees, where the vines can leave surprises.
“They (the vines) will take over the whole garden very quickly,” Amy said. “One year we had one vine up a tree and a pumpkin grew on a branch of the tree.”
