Repeat champion wins $7,000 for 1,967-pound pumpkin
Ruben Frias and one of his sons watch the weigh-off for his giant pumpkin, which proved to be the 2024 winner at 1,967 pounds. Courtesy Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival
It didn’t top a ton, but it came mighty close.
Past champion Ruben Frias once again took home top honors at the 30th annual Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival with a massive 1,967-pound pumpkin.
The humongous cream-colored gourd beat dozens of other hefty squash during Saturday’s weigh-off in Elk Grove Park.
A regular pumpkin competitor and past Elk Grove winner, Frias grows his pumpkins in American Canyon. Frias placed second last year with a 1,723-pounder. (The winner weighed 1,940 pounds.)
“The Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off has been the heart of the festival since day one, and growers like Ruben have helped it grow into Elk Grove’s largest family event,” said the organizers. “Ruben first competed in 2009—the same year he took home his first win—and now, 15 years later, he’s reclaimed the title! His hard work, along with the support of his family, earned them a $7,000 grand prize and a place in festival history.”
After the win became official, Frias’ two kids piled on the pumpkin for a photo (and tipped the scales past the 2,000-pound mark). So far, Frias’ prized pumpkin is the biggest in California in 2024.
How long will the record stand? Maybe a week; Half Moon Bay’s 51st annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off is set for next Monday, Oct. 14. Last year’s contest produced a world record pumpkin: 2,749 pounds. Grown in Minnesota, that pumpkin traveled cross country for the weigh-off.
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3
November still offers good weather for fall planting:
* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.
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