All 80 of the “giant breed” pumpkin plants offered by the Sunrise Kiwanis were snapped up in days by Manteca area residents vying to grow the biggest pumpkin at the weigh-in this year at the Manteca Pumpkin Fair in downtown the first weekend of October.
It’s part of the service club’s 5th annual pumpkin growing contest.
Participation is limited to those who registered when they picked up the free plants.
They are vying for $1,000 in prizes.
Contest coordinator Morris Lacey noted one rule change allows for payouts to occur for any pumpkin 100 pounds or larger instead of the previous 200 pound threshold.
There is $1,000 in cash prizes available. The largest pumpkin will receive $500, the second largest $250, and the third largest $150. There will be a $100 awarded to the pumpkin with the best shape.
The largest pumpkin last year was 151 pounds.
In the first year, former Manteca mayor Steve DeBrum grew a pair of 200-pound pumpkins.
While it is too late to enter the contest, Lacey noted one of the best things about Manteca is it is ideal for growing pumpkins whether they are the normal sized brands or the larger ones.
“All you need to do is get a package of pumpkin seeds,” Lacey said.
It also helps, of course, to amend your soil as necessary to ensure vigorous growth.
The space required for a “giant” pumpkin should be a minimum of 100 square feet. Grow the plant in full sun. To promote the size of one pumpkin, pinch off other fruit as they form and focus the plant on the giant fruit. .
The Kiwanis hosts the annual Pumpkin Fair to support community endeavors to the tune of nearly $40,000 a year with fair proceeds and to pay homage to what has become Manteca’s signature crop — pumpkins.
The Manteca area grows almost 80 percent of California’s pumpkin crop. The fields around Manteca produced 54,500 tons of pumpkins last year on 2,250 acres.
For information on this year’s Pumpkin Fair vendor space applications and car show, go to www.mantecapumpkinfair.org
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
