// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Gardener's giant pumpkin is size of small car
Ben White and Gladys will compete at the RHS Malvern Autumn Show over the last weekend of September
An amateur gardener is nurturing his giant pumpkin in preparation for an RHS competition later this month.
Ben White, from Maldon in Essex, has grown his biggest pumpkin to date weighing about 1,200lb (544kg) - and still growing.
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.
Gladys will compete at the RHS Malvern Autumn Show over the last weekend of September.
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.
Twins Stuart and Ian Paton, from Lymington in Hampshire, claimed that honour in October 2025 with a giant pumpkin weighing 2,819lb (1,278kg).
Gladys, pictured in its more juvenile years, has been carefully grown
Gladys was pollinated on 30 June and at her peak was growing 40lb (18kg) a day.
Months of preparation, studying irrigation, and carefully controlled water and nutrition went into growing the giant vegetable.