Growing Giants with Laird

Growing Giants with Laird Informational page to show how I grow giant pumpkins, tomatos, and other fruits and vegetables.
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I will showcase the techniques and products used on my mission to grow a state/world record!

Well, after a good fight, we lost the 150 sq ft. challenge pumpkin last night. It developed a stem split early in the s...
08/27/2026

Well, after a good fight, we lost the 150 sq ft. challenge pumpkin last night. It developed a stem split early in the season, and although I did all the tricks, I just couldn't keep it from going into the pumpkin cavity. It was roughly 900 lbs and still doing 20-25 lbs per day. Could have been a real contender for the record....but we will never know. I plan to do a video of lifting it from the patch and get its final weight. If its still in good enough shape maybe I will do a carving too!

08/21/2026

Friday August 21st patch update - two pumkins at 1,300 #, one pumpkin on life support, and we finally got some rain!

08/05/2026

August 5th patch update - On this episode of giant pumpkins suck.....

07/29/2026

July 29th patch update - 700 # pumpkin, stem split, compost tea and fighting fusarium

"How big do the giant pumpkin leaves get??" 36" wide and 5' tall!!
07/28/2026

"How big do the giant pumpkin leaves get??" 36" wide and 5' tall!!

07/17/2026

Patch update July 17 th - crazy smoke from yhe wildfires, fusarium and heat. Special thanks Heber Hall for all the guidance with the fusarium. I assumed the fusarium was a death sentence for the patch this year but so far, with Heber's help, we have kept these plants healthy. Fingers crossed 🤞

Well, we are down one plant in the patch. I am waiting on a tissue sample to come back from the lab, but I think it may...
07/13/2026

Well, we are down one plant in the patch. I am waiting on a tissue sample to come back from the lab, but I think it may be fusarium which is a soil born disease..........not good. Hopefully the other plants dont get it.

07/09/2026

High quality soil mix = huge plants!!

The patch is filling in nicely. That's a lot of plant for 3 pumpkins!
07/09/2026

The patch is filling in nicely. That's a lot of plant for 3 pumpkins!

In the mornings while I am burying vines, I wonder if all the extra work is worth it.....then you start seeing these meg...
07/08/2026

In the mornings while I am burying vines, I wonder if all the extra work is worth it.....then you start seeing these mega roots!! The 2551 Jim Ford plant is rocking again this year.

Everyday I bury my vines using Hsu Growing Supply professional potting soil. Their mix of high quality compost, peat, perlite and light fertilizer, allows these roots to easily grow, while giving them a much needed boost as soon as the roots form. Once the roots develop the mix dries and crumbles off the vines, leaving them exposed, so rot is never an issue on my vines!!

I also sprinkle on some beneficial bacteria and fungi from MycoMaxx Garden along with a kelp, humic and fulvic mix from Ferti-Organic, Inc. Those products applied, prior to covering the vines, allows those roots to be able to uptake all the necessary nutrients to grow these giant pumpkins!! Its a winning combination!!

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Arpin, WI

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