Switzerland’s heaviest pumpkin comes from Zurich for the third time
Keystone-SDA
The heaviest pumpkin in Switzerland, weighing 651.5 kilos, was grown in a private garden in canton Zurich.
This marks the third consecutive year that the same grower has won the Swiss championship.
This exceptional specimen belongs to the Atlantic Giant variety. Florian Isler set three Swiss records: the heaviest specimen of the Bushel Gourd variety weighing 136.6 kg, the tallest sunflower (7.695 metres) and the heaviest watermelon (97.2 kg).
Other Swiss and world records for giant vegetables were also broken. The Meier family, from Dättlikon, now hold the world record for the heaviest sweet potato (single tuber) at 13.6 kg. Jürg Wiesli, from Dozwil, broke the world record for the longest chilli, measuring 54.3 centimetres.
A total of 18 giant pumpkins were weighed at the Bächlihof farm. Sixteen teams had registered for the event, including two teams of growers and two families.
Among the 18 specimens weighed were 14 orange pumpkins of the Atlantic Giant variety and four green squash.
The current Swiss record for a pumpkin stands at 1,054 kilograms. The world record is 1,278.8 kilograms.
During Saturday’s competition, the various vegetables were transported to the scales using a forklift truck.
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Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
