What's the biggest you've grown?

kindredspirit · Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 2:58 pm Post subject: What's the biggest you've grown?

As big as this fellow?

http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Diese-Kuerbisse-sind-wie-Formel1Boliden/story/13139639

sgmgarden · Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 3:14 pm Post subject:

I doubt there is anyone that has grown something that big. That is incredible!

tagwex · Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 6:28 pm Post subject:

I was at a mans house about two months back doing a job for him and he is a keen gardener so I had a good look around and we talked for ages. I was really impressed with his polytunnel in particular. But I digress, in his well laid out and very tidy garden were these huge cabbages, lettuce and onions. Of course I commented on them and it turns out that he has a Romanian daughter-in-law, at least I think it was Romanian, but definitely one of those Eastern Bloc countries anyway. She too is a keen gardener and brings the seed from her native country to sow here. The cabbage were easily a meter across the leaves, the lettuce were 400 - 500 mm across and the onions were 125 - 150 mm. I asked if they were a giant breed and only good for showing but he said not and all were perfectly edible. Apologies, but I have neither photos nor varieties so you all just have to take my word for it..

My Potatoes · Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 4:30 pm Post subject:

I gave giant pumpkins a try this year for the first time. Alas, I was late sowing the seed and didn't give them the due preparation and attention so I won't be winning any prizes.

This year was a great year in the vegetable garden it must be said. tagwex has singled out onions, lettuce and cabbage, and I can concur. Some of my onions were the size of my two fists together. Especially the red onions.
I grew an oak leaf lettuce that was larger than a football.
For dinner last week we'd red cabbage and the "wingspan" of the outer leaves was about 1.5 metres. The heart itself was between a football and a rugby ball in size. The stem alone was 8 cms at the base of the heart where it was cut off.

Of course, "bigger is better" does sent apply to everything. Courgettes taste better the smaller they are. Once they get to the diameter of a €uro coin they're just bags of water.

tagwex · Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:17 am Post subject:

I am particularly proud of this one, note the 5c coin as a reference. Any ideas what to do with it, i.e. preserving it?

tagwex · Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:29 pm Post subject:

And what about this monster Kerrs Pink? Note the €1 coin for size reference.

tippben · Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 1:40 pm Post subject:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24507714

Sneachta · Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:19 pm Post subject:

tagwex · Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 10:47 am Post subject:

It's still here and untouched so far. Will have to eat it soon, tonight could be the night.