Carman man grows Manitoba's largest pumpkin

A Carman man is being celebrated for his gargantuan gourd.

Jason Terwin has won the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth competition at this year's Roland Pumpkin Fair in Roland, Man.

Terwin's massive pumpkin weighed in at a whopping 1,539 pounds. He said it takes a lot of luck and gardening skills to grow a pumpkin that big.

"Get your garden ready, the soil prepared, lot of fertilizing water, and a lot of luck," Terwin said.

It's his third year in a row winning the title, though Terwin said he was really hoping to beat the all-time Manitoba record, which is more than 1,600 pounds.

But, he is very happy with the $1,500 in prize money. Terwin said he wasn't sure how big the pumpkin would get.

"I usually measure every week, its three tape measurements, and you have to estimate how much it grows per day or per week," Terwin said. "Mine was only growing about 25 to 30 pounds a day for about a couple of weeks, and then it went down to around 20-15 pounds a day."

Terwin said genetics play a role in the pumpkin's size, with sought-after seeds being sold online for prices as high as $600.

"It's quite a market, I've spent up to $50 to $70 USD. You've got to get the genetics," said Terwin.

The pumpkin is now sitting at the end of his driveway, where Terwin's friend will carve it into a massive jack-o-lantern for the kids on Halloween.