Aspiring giant pumpkin growers learned the secrets to cultivating record-breaking gourds at the Giant Pumpkin Growers Seminar on April 5, hosted by the Manitoba Giant Growers Association.
The event featured giant pumpkin connoisseur Milan Lukes, who shared his expertise on how to grow pumpkins to their full potential at the Canalta Hotel in Selkirk.
A two-time Roland Pumpkin Fair winner, Lukes has grown pumpkins reaching 1,369.5 pounds.
He began his pumpkin-growing career in his parents’ backyard garden in Winnipeg, and started winning fair competitions in 2013, when he was just 11 years old.
From seed to supersized: Ella Maclean, 9, shows off some of the pumpkin seeds offered to seminar attendees. She grew her first pumpkin in 2024 and is hoping to grow an even bigger one this year
“You can be a young person from the city, and pull this off and grow a pumpkin over 1,000 pounds,” he said.
Lukes shared tips and tricks for growing the massive gourds. He talked about protecting them from inclement weather, choosing the right fertilizers and maintaining proper soil conditions.
His biggest suggestion was to use Atlantic giant pumpkin variety seeds. If farmers want to maximize their pumpkin growth, they’re encouraged to use these seeds — Atlantic giants can grow to more than 2,000 pounds, which is more than enough to earn a first-place ribbon at fairs.
The current Manitoba pumpkin record was set in 2019 by Winkler farmer Cornie Banman, who grew a 1,660.5-pound pumpkin. The current world record is 2,471 pounds and was grown by Minnesota farmer Travis Gienger.
Record Photos by E Antonio
The Manitoba Giant Growers Association hosted a Giant Pumpkin Growers Seminar on April 5 at the Canalta Hotel in Selkirk. Two-time Roland Pumpkin Fair winner Milan Lukes addressed the key components to growing the humongous gourds
Lukes said anyone is capable of growing a giant, as long as they maintain the proper growing conditions and tend to the pumpkin’s needs.
“Growing up as a kid, the gift that I wanted was manure.”
When he first started, Lukes devoted his spare time to caring for his pumpkin, ensuring proper soil, water and temperature conditions were met.
He added that pumpkin growing can feel like a full-time job, especially between the end of April and early October — the prime growing season.
Selkirk’s Ella Maclean is a nine-year-old aspiring pumpkin farmer who attended Saturday’s seminar. She grew her first large pumpkin in 2024 but didn’t know how to weigh it. With the tips she picked up at the seminar, she hopes to grow an even bigger pumpkin this year.
“We will have to water it a lot, and we might have to find another place to grow it,” she said. “If we grew two seeds it would take up half our garden.”
Ella can get a head start this year, as everyone who attended the seminar took home free pumpkin seeds — including some from the Atlantic giant variety.
