Dill Family Farm blames dry weather for smaller giant pumpkins

Danny Dill jokes people taking part in Windsor's annual pumpkin regatta this year may have to shed a few pounds before fitting into one of his giant pumpkins.

Dill usually supplies several dozen pumpkins for the annual regatta's racesand is already taking bookings for the fall, but he says his giant pumpkins are only half the size they should be.

'Depressing, discouraging'

A pumpkin needs to be about 180to 225kilogramsfor a person to be able to sit inside it and row, Dill says.The ones he's seeing on his farm are more in the range of 90 kilograms, with just a month left in the growing season.He blames theweather.

"It's been the driest I've seen in my lifetime," he said. "It's getting very depressing, discouraging."

'No point of return'

Dill's family is famous for growing giant pumpkins on their farm.His father, Howard Dill, is a pioneer of giant pumpkin growing with four GuinnessWorld Records.He also developed the internationallyrecognized Atlantic giantpumpkin seed.

Dill, who runs his father's farm now, says he has about 100Atlantic giant pumpkins growing that he's trying to keep irrigated. He has sprinklers going, but says that's not the same as a good rain.His biggest concern is that his giant pumpkins could hit a permanent wilting point if wet weather doesn't come soon.

"If they reach that, there's no point of return whether they get rain or not. They're done."

Better luck for hobby growers

Despite the slow growth so far, Dill says he expects to see some heavy pumpkins weigh inwhen his family farm hosts its annual weighoff this fall.

That's because the weather hasn't been bad news for all giant vegetable growers.Hobbyistsare having more luck.

"A dry yearactuallyis a bit morebeneficialto us, so Iexpect thisyear we'll grow some heavier than average pumpkins," saidRonMuis, chair ofthe Annapolis Valley Giant Vegetable Growers.

Last yearMuis, who lives inSteam Mill,grew the longest long gourd ever in Atlantic Canadameasuring 149.25 inches (3.79 metres), just less than an inch shy of beingworld-record size.

Unlike Dill, who has a large number of pumpkin crops to keep watered,Muisgrows just a few giant vegetables ingarden space that can be easily wateredwith a lawn sprinkler.

'A bit ironic'

On top of his long gourd growing, this yearhe's growing a pumpkin that's already reached 272kilograms. He's hoping it will getup to 454kilogramsby the end of season.

Muissayshe expects other hobbyiststo show up with up to 680-kgpumpkins at theAnnapolis Valley Giant Vegetable Growers Association annual weighoff this fallthree times the size Dill is hoping for at his farm.

Dill says he's still very optimistic that with a lot of watering,the majority of his giantpumpkins will reach 180 to 225 kilograms.

"Isn't it a bit ironic ... we need water to grow these big enough for people to put them in water."