mmg.com.au

When Charlie Carp general manager Ian Fuller decided to sponsor the Deniliquin Show’s giant pumpkin competition, he took it as a personal challenge as well.

Mr Fuller (pictured) requested two Atlantic Giant pumpkin seedlings from competition coordinator John Russell in October.

Now, more than three months after planting, Mr Fuller’s prize pumpkin measures 170cm in diameter.

‘‘It averages about 1.5cm in growth each day, and about a kilo in weight each day,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s just amazing how it is growing.

‘‘I’ve set up a sprinkler system and I water them twice a day, and I fertilise once a week using Charlie Carp.

‘‘I’m also experimenting with the dry Charlie Carp product, which we hope to release to the public in the next six months.’’

Mr Fuller said this was the first time he had ever grown any vegetables himself, despite many requests from his wife Cheryl to help with the home garden.

The seedlings were nurtured in their small planter pots for a few weeks in Mr Fuller’s Charlie Carp office before being put in the ground.

Both vines have grown quickly and feed two pumpkins each. Additional pumpkins have been removed so they don’t steal nutrients from the best two on each vine.

Mr Fuller’s is keeping his largest pumpkin’s weight a secret until competition. Last year’s giant pumpkin competition winner, Brett Allitt, delivered a 70kg beauty.

Mr Allitt also refused to divulge how his pumpkins for this year’s competition compare to last year.

‘‘I want to play my cards a little close to the chest,’’ Mr Allitt said.

‘‘But I will say, I’m not sure if the forklift will be able to lift it on the back of a truck.’’

Mr Allitt said he was ‘‘certainly’’ aiming to retain his title at this year’s show.

The giant pumpkin competition is just one of many attractions that will feature at the show, to be held Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2 at Memorial Park.

The traditional agricultural show will also include a field day.

For more information about the show or how to enter any of the other competitions, including the pavilion, go to www.deniliquinshow.com.