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Larry Sagers Horticultural Specialist Utah State University Extension Service Thanksgiving Point Office
The Utah Giant Tomato contest is going to be at Sutherlands Lumber Company at on August 30, 2003. Check with them for outstanding prizes including a $250.00 gift certificate.
How to Grow World Record Tomatoes: A Guinness Champion Reveals His All-Organic Secrets by Charles Wilber Media: Paperback Manufacturer/Publisher: Acres USA
How-To-Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins by Don Langevin Edition: Paperback
Wilber grew a tomato that weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces which is the current world record for a tomato. He grew it in Oklahoma, USA in 1986. His tomatoes plants grew thirty feet tall. Obviously, you cannot grow these plants without some attention to detail. You must have large, strong tomato cages to hold up the plants. The vegetables listed below hold the current records for size, according to
The Guinness Book of World Records: Beet (Garden): 42.75 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska USA in 1999 * Broccoli: 35 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska USA in 1993
Cabbage: 124 pounds - grown in Great Britain in 1989. Carrot: 18.985 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska USA in 1998.
A Carrot 6 feet 10 1/2 inches long was grown in Great Britain in 1991.
Celery: 49.1 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska USA in 2000.
Cucumber: 20 pounds, 1 ounce - grown in Great Britain in 1991.
Garlic: 2 pounds, 10 ounces - grown in California, USA in 1985.
Kale: 42.4 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska USA in 2001. Kohlrabi: 43.7 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska USA in 2001.
Onion: 11 pounds, 2 ounces - grown in Great Britain in 1992.
Parsnip: 171 3/4 inches long - grown in Great Britain in 1990.
Potato: 7 pounds, 1 ounce (a tie) - Both were grown in Great Britain, one in 1982 and one in 1963.
Radish: 37 pounds, 15 ounces - grown in South Australia in 1992.
Red Cabbage: 45.25 Pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska USA in 1994.
Swiss chard: 71.75 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska USA in 1995.
Tomato: 7 pounds, 12 ounces - grown in Oklahoma, USA in 1986.
Zucchini: 64 pounds, 8 ounces - grown in Great Britain in 1990.
U.S. Records Cauliflower: 31.25 pounds - Grown in Palmer, Alaska in 1997.
Collard: 35 feet tall, 62 inches wide -grown in North Carolina in 1980.
Corn: 31 feet tall - grown in Iowa in 1946.
Eggplant: 5 pounds, 5 1/4 ounces - grown in South Carolina in 1984.
Lettuce: 18.0 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska in 1999 * Lima Bean: 14 inches long - grown in North Carolina in 1979.
Onion: 7 1/2 pounds - grown in Arizona in 1984.
Pepper: 13 1/2 inches long - grown in New Mexico in 1975.
Rutabaga: 53.35 pounds grown in Palmer, Alaska in 1994. * Sweet Potato: 40 3/4 pounds - grown in Georgia in 1982.
Vegetable Marrow: 59.0 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska in 1998.
Zucchini: 37.5 pounds - grown in Palmer, Alaska in 2000.
The Utah State University Extension Service Master Gardeners in Tooele County will host a garden tour Saturday from 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The Durtschi garden is just one of the gardens featured on the tour. The tour starts at Speirs Farm, 394 W. 200 South, Tooele. Visit that garden and get a list of addresses for the other gardens to visit. Cost is $5. Proceeds go to benefit tree programs throughout the county.
