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The Secret to Growing Award-Winning Pumpkins
Illinois Ag Connection - 08/21/2017

Ever wondered how to grow a giant pumpkin like the ones displayed at the Hobbies, Arts and Craft building during the Illinois State Fair? This year's winning pumpkin weighed 116.5 pounds and was produced by Carl Wise from Pleasant Plains, Ill.

Wise said the secret is in keeping them watered evenly, using a special pumpkin fertilizer and tilling manure into the soil. He also said, "When I find the ones I like, I remove the smaller ones." This allows for his prize winning pumpkins to grow bigger as they receive more nutrients and water from the soil.

Wise produces pumpkins as a hobby and loves to give them to his kids for Halloween. "The kids love the big pumpkins." Wise says he has even bigger pumpkins in his garden at home right now! "The rain kept me out of my garden, but had I been able to get in later that pumpkin that won would have been 150 plus pounds!"

This is not Wise's first time in the pumpkin contest. He won at the Illinois State Fair several years ago for another one of his giant pumpkins.

For more information and competition results visit www.illinois.gov/statefair


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