Inside the Gently Competitive World of Giant Vegetable Growing

atlas obscura ^ | 2/24/2021

[mylife]

FOR PETER GLAZEBROOK, THERE WAS one bright spot to 2020. A leek he entered into last year’s Mansfield Grow Show, which judges declared to be a monstrous four feet long, won him a new world record. “That makes 16 world records I’ve held over the years,” Glazebrook wrote to me recently, via email. “However, it’s a competitive hobby, so I currently only hold three.” Today, he is the proud grower of the world’s heaviest cauliflower (60 pounds), potato (10 pounds), and, as of 2020, the longest leek.

Glazebrook, a lithe, 76-year-old former building surveyor from Nottinghamshire, England, is one of the most decorated competitors in the world when it comes to the uniquely British sport of growing giant vegetables. For years, he has dominated a competition that’s grown from a Welsh bar bet into a massive online community of giant vegetable enthusiasts with participants on every continent. “It’s expanded beyond all recognition,” says Kevin Fortey, the unofficial spokesperson for the ‘giant veg’ community. But if 30-foot-long beets, 10-pound tomatoes, or one-ton pumpkins sound like a waste of food and time, government researchers around the world are now taking a serious look at leviathan produce.

[bgill]

It sure beats weekend sports in Chicago.

[mylife]

What till you see the fawn that killed Godzilla!

[mylife]

Yeah, but the Italian Beef!! the Italian Beef!!

[nomorelurker]

“30 pound onion”

I'm now trying to figure out how big of a shrimp, ear of corn, potato, and sausage I need to make a good shrimp boil out of that 30lb onion.

[ETL]

President Potato Head

[moovova]

[ETL]

Fart...

[ETL]

[real saxophonist]

The Peter Pepper. That's actually what they're called:

[moovova]

You’re a braver guy than I am. I saw many of those vegetable deformities...but didn’t have the heart to post them. Figured I’d go with something a little more feminine...LOL. Mother Nature is definitely a funster...😁

[mylife]

Different competition. LOL

[mylife]

Joes transgender LGBTXYZLMNOP Potato?

[Vaduz]

No thanks we have two giant vegetables Biden and Harris.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

*Weekly Garden Thread Of-Interest Ping*

[Oshkalaboomboom]

There were a lot of competitive pumpkin growers in the area when we lived in New Hampshire. They would go to competitions with big jugs of water and hoses running to the stem of the pumpkin so it would keep growing right up to the minute of judging.

[left that other site]

$$$$$$$$$$$$That’s a LOT of Cabbage! :-) $$$$$$$$$$$$$

[LibWhacker]

I have a theory that if you want to grow really big things, start with snakes. Because, hey, Mother Nature has already given us a good start.

I guess you could start with elephants. But snakes will really get you noticed.

[zeugma]

That is a seriously insane size for a snake. I don’t particularly mind snakes because they will do a serious job on rats and such, but damn. That thing could eat my motorcycle.

[ETL]

[TianaHighrider]

That cabbage looks like the Little Shop of Horrors plant!!!😳😄❤