Huge 818kg giant pumpkin squashes Russian record

A whopping 817kg pumpkin has been crowned the largest in Russian history, according to Moscow State University Botanical Garden.

Aleksandr Chusov, 28, took home the top prize after a ceremonial weigh-in ahead of the Autumn Festival of Vegetables at the university.

Explaining how he grew the massive gourd on a six-acre plot, the gardener said: “You select the most giant pumpkins, cross them with the most giant pumpkins, and as a result, the pumpkins become even bigger and bigger.

“Then also, the correct agricultural technology [is required], which involves correct formation, correct watering, correct fertilizing, and planting time.”