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Giant Pumpkin 'Gladys' Poised for RHS Show
6 Sep
Summary
- A 1,200lb pumpkin named Gladys is growing for an RHS competition.
- The pumpkin was pollinated on June 30 and grew 40lb daily.
- Proceeds from documenting the pumpkin will aid air ambulance charity.
An amateur gardener from Maldon, Essex, is nurturing a colossal pumpkin named Gladys for an upcoming RHS competition. The 37-year-old, Ben White, has cultivated his largest pumpkin to date, currently weighing around 1,200lb and continuing to grow. He is documenting Gladys's progress online, with the goal of raising money for the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance charity.
Gladys is set to compete at the RHS Malvern Autumn Show during the final weekend of September. Although her current weight rivals that of a small car, it is less than half the weight of the Guinness World Record holder, which tipped the scales at 1,278kg in October 2025. Gladys was pollinated on June 30 and experienced rapid growth, adding up to 40lb daily at her peak.
Growing the giant vegetable required months of meticulous preparation, including detailed study of irrigation and carefully controlled water and nutrient regimes. White, an underfloor heating designer by profession, cultivates vegetables, including Gladys, in a 60ft polytunnel at a local farm in his spare time. He also grows produce like tomatoes and sweet potatoes to reduce reliance on supermarkets.
