SALEM, Ohio — Benjamin McMillin has a passion for pumpkins. He has a patch in his Salem backyard but he doesn’t grow your average pumpkins. He grows pumpkins that are award-winning.
McMillin first became interested in growing giant pumpkins a few years ago.
“Well, believe it or not, we saw them at the Canfield Fair, the kids and I, and we thought it was pretty interesting and it was really addicting. I got hooked after that.”
This year, he entered one of his own pumpkins into the Canfield Fair weigh-off. McMillin placed first with one of his six Atlantic Giant Dill pumpkins this season. Each requires a lot of attention.
Benjamin McMillins points to his pumpkin on a scale. (Spectrum News/ Sophia Constantine)
During the growing season, McMillin spends about two hours per day tending to his garden. He protects the pumpkins from the rain and sun with a shelter. The patch is gated off to prevent deer from eating the pumpkins, he has a fan constantly running on them to help prevent any rot, and they consume a lot of water.
“Once they start growing, from about the time where they’re 30 days old, they’ll put on about 50 pounds a day, overnight,” said McMillin.
It takes a lot of trial and error, but McMillin has picked up best practices from his local pumpkin growers club.
“I had a great mentor from the club that we belong to and that’s really what got me started,” McMillin said. “Without their help, I wouldn’t have got this far.”
