In the foothills of the Snowy Mountains in southern New South Wales A spectacle is unfolding as man row a huge pumpkin across the Tumut River. Growing such enormous pumpkins calls for a lot of expertise. Mark Peacock, a horticultural scientist in Tumut has successfully cultivated pumpkins that are large enough to support this particular activity.

Mark’s path to the cultivation of giant pumpkins began with the COVID-19 lockdown that took place in North Carolina, where he developed a 340 kilo pumpkin. The results of his efforts has led to a 407kg sized pumpkin that was showcased in the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 2024. There was also a 426kg pumpkin, which was awarded at the Tumut Show’s big pumpkin section.

In order to grow these pumpkins, you must take care of the quality of soil and pest and disease problems. Mark stresses that the importance of plant location and utilizes sand to decrease friction when the pumpkin matures. The management of UV light is important, and tents are used to stop premature hardening of the pumpkin’s skin.

His sister Mark’s, Emma Peacock, notes his commitment to promote large-sized pumpkins throughout the region. A new division at the local show attracted interest, which led to the creation of the grower’s group which has over 20 members. Mark offers his knowledge and seeds to increase participation locally.

Ethan Buckley, a group participant, weighed 42kg pumpkin during his very first try. While he did not reach the volume required to be able to row across the water, Ethan remains determined to exceed Mark’s accomplishments in his future projects.

Image credit: Mark Peacock

Source: ABC News