How to grow a giant pumpkin, with help from science

Each year, producers raise giant pumpkins and compete in annual shovels against other colossal fruits. They choose seeds that have given large pumpkins in the past or test new ones. After that, it comes down to the right combination of water, nutrients and care. As the leaf patch expands, the producers eliminate the smaller pumpkins that grow. Due to gravity, giant pumpkins become wide but not high. Pumpkins are not the only crops that can become massive. Other members of the Gourdes family such as squash, cucumbers and watermelons can also become enormous.