5 hours ago - Things to Do
I'm scrambling to grow a giant pumpkin for the Iowa State Fair
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Linh's spouse, Eric Burson, the true pumpkin master. Photo: Linh Ta/Axios
Linh here. I'm growing giant pumpkins in the hopes of showing one of them at the Iowa State Fair.
- They're aptly named Hope #1 and Hope #2 (just in case).
Flashback: Last week, I excitedly shared that both pumpkin plants were almost ready for pollination.
- Once a female pumpkin flower is hand-pollinated, the actual gourd growing begins.
Yes, but: Tragedy struck.
- When the giant heat dome draped itself across Iowa last week, the female flowers responded by ... dying.
- I call last week "The Great Warm Moist Towelette of Doom 2026."
Guys. No joke, it's rough over here in the 50311.
Zoom in: If I had until October, I would feel OK. But the fair is next month.
- I was so confident in my pumpkin-growing skills in April that I told my employer we may need to expense a forklift.
- Now, I don't even know if Hope will take up a seat in the back of my Subaru.
🎃 Sometimes, you need to hit rock bottom before you make a change.
- I put out frozen almond milk cartons and a camping fan to keep them cool.
- They have a shade canopy now.
- I've quadrupled the fertilizer.
🥹 The bottom vine: Look at how beautiful and bulbous these female flowers look.
- If I turn in the cutest tiny giant pumpkin next month, so be it.
Countdown: 35 days until judgment day.