Gardeners showcase their giant vegetables at British contest - including 73st pumpkin and 24ft cucumber

The annual National Giant Veg contest has officially gotten underway - with large beetroots, aubergines and even a 73st pumpkin set to dominate this year.More than 65,000 people are expected to flock to the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire, over the next three days to catch a glimpse of world record-breaking produce.Now green-fingered gardening fanatics are hoping to break even more records, including champion British giant vegetable grower Graham Barratt, who had to transport his massive 465.5kg pumpkin on a lorry.The impressive produce has a staggering 130-inch circumference and needed a forklift to get it in front of the judges.Day one of the contest on Friday, September 25, already saw seven Guinness World Records set - including the heaviest sweetcorn kernel at 0.8Ibs, the tallest cucumber plant at 24.6ft and the heaviest beetroot at 26kg.Graham, a former BT senior manager from Abbeydale, Gloucester, has nine entries this year and this year broke the world record for the longest cucumber in history, at 7.5 metres long.Now, he is hopeful for another new victory. 'The pumpkin is 465.5kg and I'm sure that's a personal best, but it's not over till it's over. There's one or two which are fairly big but it all depends on how thick the skins are on these,' Graham, 67, said. The annual National Giant Veg contest has officially gotten underway - with large beetroots, aubergines and even a 73st pumpkin set to dominate this year's competition More than 65,000 people are expected to flock to the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire, over the next three days to catch a glimpse of world record-breaking produce Day one of the contest on Friday, September 25, already saw seven Guinness World Records set - including the heaviest sweetcorn kernel at 0.8Ibs, the tallest cucumber plant at 24.6ft and the heaviest beetroot at 26kg'With pumpkins the skin thickness matters - you could have a giant pumpkin with a really thin skin and it not weigh as much. We measured it and it came out with a 130ins circumference. It took a lot of effort to get it into the show.'Graham explained that his plot in Cheltenham has a 'polytunnel' where he can grow his pumpkins, and praised the organisers of the event for all of their 'hard work'. He revealed that the secret to his marvellous vegetable was keeping the soil packed with nutrients was the secret to getting his vegetables as big as possible.'I tend to give all my methods away, it's a case of feeding the soil,' Graham said. 'As the plants are growing, they take a lot of nutrients out the ground, so it's a case of putting those back in to make sure it grows.'And I feed with liquid seaweed to help encourage it. Because it's been a hot summer they've all been finished earlier - it's been bonkers.'The exotic things have been growing quite well, but anything British refuses to grow once it gets over 28 degrees.'However, Graham is certainly facing some heavyweight competition at this year's contest. Now green-fingered gardening fanatics are hoping to break even more records, including champion British giant vegetable grower Graham Barratt, who had to transport his massive 465.5kg pumpkin on a lorry All of the competitors are allowed two entrants per class, with the produce grown in the UK, Chanel Islands, Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland Serial winner Joe Atherton, 71, who bagged the world record for the longest radish in 2024 and 2025, has returned with 20 entries Peter Glazebrook, 82, has been producing giant vegetables for 40 years and also fancies his chances with a hefty 3.564kg aubergineSerial winner Joe Atherton, 71, who bagged the world record for the longest radish in 2024 and 2025, has returned with 20 entries.He is hoping to claim top spot again with his 13kg cantaloupe melon and giant onions weighing a combined 18.5kg.The retired miner, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, said: 'The melon and the potatoes have the best shot, and possibly the onions.'It's all about the wait for the weighing, then we'll know.'Revealing his secrets for producing such enormous veg, Joe added: 'It's all about getting the right seeds, and a bit of know-how.'You get that stage right and then everything else fits in. There will be one or two wheeler dealings for seeds here I'm sure.'Meanwhile, Peter Glazebrook, 82, has been producing giant vegetables for 40 years and also fancies his chances with a hefty 3.564kg aubergine.'The weather has been difficult and against me this year, it's been too hot and dry for anything to get any proper size,' he said. 'It's all come and gone early before the show. I've got a beetroot at 11.66kg.'My aubergine is at 3.564kg - it's early days but I'm not expecting to win an but it's a good entry.'Growing giant vegetables doesn't just happen, you need the right seed.'Maggie Walter, from Plymouth, scooped up a £1,000 prize for the heaviest tomatos, while the heaviest pumpkin weighed a remarkable 1,258kg. All of the competitors are allowed two entrants per class, with the produce grown in the UK, Chanel Islands, Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland.The acclaimed competition spans 33 categories, which range from pumpkins to tomatos, cucumbers and cabbage.