SHAWANO, WI- You don’t have to go far to find the Great Pumpkin this Halloween season, it’s right in Shawano.
14-year-old Isaac Johnson is becoming the “Gourd King” of Shawano. An idea to grow a large pumpkin resulted in a 714 pound giant in his front yard. Johnson says has been growing it since April. He said it started inside and then was transplanted outside, and the process took off, which was more work than the average pumpkin.
“About July the pumpkin started growing, and then it was on the vine for about 75 days.”
Johnson spent months nurturing what turned into a “Gourdzilla”.
“It really took off once it hit the summer sun,” Johnson said. “It’s a lot of work, fertilizing, watering, and keeping pests away, but seeing it get that big makes it worth it.”
On Wednesday, Johnson spent time carving the Orange Giant with a Sawzall. This year, he decided to carve it, next year he hopes to put one in competition.
While 714 pounds might sound massive, Johnson says he’s just getting started. His goal for next year: break the 1,000-pound mark.
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