An amateur gardener is nurturing his giant pumpkin in preparation for an RHS competition later this month.<\/p>\n
Ben White, from Maldon in Essex, has grown his biggest pumpkin to date weighing about 1,200lb (544kg) – and still growing.<\/p>\n
The 37-year-old is documenting the rise of the mighty vegetable, named Gladys, on social media, to raise money for the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance charity.<\/p>\n
Gladys will compete at the RHS Malvern Autumn Show over the last weekend of September.<\/p>\n
Even though the weight of his pumpkin is similar to that of a small car, it is less than half the weight of the Guinness World Record title holder.<\/p>\n
Twins Stuart and Ian Paton, from Lymington in Hampshire, claimed that honour in October 2025 with a giant pumpkin weighing 2,819lb<\/a> (1,278kg).<\/p>\n Gladys was pollinated on 30 June and at her peak was growing 40lb (18kg) a day.<\/p>\n Months of preparation, studying irrigation, and carefully controlled water and nutrition went into growing the giant vegetable.<\/p>\n White works as an underfloor heating designer, but grows vegetables inside a 60ft (18m) polytunnel at a local farm in his spare time.<\/p>\n He also grows tomatoes, peppers, chillies, watermelons and sweet potatoes to avoid having to rely heavily on supermarkets.<\/p>\n “There is something incredibly satisfying about walking on to the plot and bringing home food you’ve grown yourself,” said White.<\/p>\n In 2021 he became the first grower to showcase a giant pumpkin inside the Great Pavilion at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.<\/p>\n Do you have a story suggestion for Essex? Contact us below.<\/p>\n Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and X<\/a>.<\/p>\n More on this story