Oh my gourd: Tamsui farmer reclaims 'heaviest pumpkin' title

New Taipei, June 15 (CNA) A gourd farmer from New Taipei's Tamsui District on Saturday took back his title as the grower of the heaviest pumpkin at Taiwan's 2025 National Giant Pumpkins Championships.

Lin Chien-hsun (林建訓) won the "weight" category of the 14th edition of the annual event with a pumpkin weighing 439.2 kilograms, a giant gourd so hefty that it could only be lifted by a crane.

Lin, an eight-time winner of the category, said that he was able to retake his former title after reflecting on the mistakes he made during his second place-win last year with a 374.4 kg pumpkin.

The farmer said that his 2024 pumpkin was malnourished due to the low number of vine leaves on his gourd.

Learning from his experience, Lin said he later specifically selected seeds from pumpkins with more vine leaves to pollinate his crop to ensure that his gourds would get the most amount of nutrients for the competition this year.

As a result, Lin's 2025 giant gourd surpassed his 2024 pumpkin by more than 60 kg.

Speaking about the secrets to his green thumb, Lin said he also adjusted the density of his crops -- for example, reducing the number of pumpkins grown in greenhouses from two to one -- while erecting protective nets to safeguard his gourds from potential harm.

Regarding his win, Lin expressed happiness at keeping the title in Tamsui and said that he hopes giant pumpkins can become a signature symbol for the district.

Aside Lin's win under the "weight" category, the championships also include the likes of "creativity," "edible excellence" and "quality" competitions.

The 14th edition of the annual pumpkin competition, organized by the Tamsui Farmers' Association and sponsored by the New Taipei Agriculture Bureau, drew over 150 participants from New Taipei, Taoyuan and Nantou County.

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) personally presented the awards to the winners, praising Tamsui for its progress in pumpkin farming in recent years.