Will Bekkie squash upstart at this year's Giant Pumpkin Festival?

If you thought pumpkin was just a vegetable, think again. For Peet Joubert, a construction foreman and part-time giant vegetable grower from Centurion, they are his passion.

Joubert is the reigning champion of the annual Giant Pumpkin Festival, with his rotund pumpkin, Bekkie, tipping the scales at an impressive 613kg last year.

But talk around the veggie patch is that Bekkie may be unseated at this year’s competition, which takes place later this month in Heidelberg in the Western Cape, by a competitor from that province.

If so, there will be some comfort for Joubert in knowing that his efforts have not gone to waste — seeds produced by a champion are deemed to be pedigree and sell for R150 for two on average.

Joubert, the current record holder for the biggest pumpkin in SA, attributes his record sizes to “some good dirt, great weather and a hell of an expensive seed”.

Last year he won a combined R45,000 for his two giants. Bubble, a 564kg beast of a squash, won top spot at the Transvaal Agricultural Union of SA’s annual Goliat van Gat Pumpkin Festival.

But his best run came a few days later at the Livingseeds Giant Pumpkin Competition at the Walkerville Agricultural Show, where Bekkie broke the record by pipping Maximus, which weighed 556kg, grown by farmer Hugo le Roux.

Joubert has spent more than R75,000 on growing the perfect specimens for both of the festivals this year. “I really stopped counting after R60,000 — that was just for the soil preparation,” he says.

• Bekkie's current weight is 613kg, making it the pumpkin queen

• At least R75,000 has been spent on growing the specimens

• Joe Joubert spent R1,800 for seeds 

—  In Numbers

He sent the soil samples to a laboratory in the UK to ensure he had a balanced soil with enough nutrients required for the pumpkins. He also created a shade net and tarp for hail protection. Each pumpkin is furnished with underground heating, a misting system and two fans to create ideal temperatures.

“The main reason I love growing them is not entirely about their size, [I like seeing] the amount of weight they gain each day. It just amuses me every season.” He said a pumpkin could grow up to 30kg in a day.

A big pumpkin needs a big truck, so Joubert had to modify one and fit it with a crane and pallet to transport the giants to competition.

“Any damage to the squash during transportation can result in disqualification, and because they grow so quickly, the vegetable could also burst,” he said.

Joubert is pinning his hopes for first prize on Howie, which currently weighs about 450kg. He hopes his second giant squash, Wallie — of equal weight — will tip the scales in his favour at the Livingseeds competition later this month.

This year the part-time farmer is excited to compete against his daughter, Megan, 12, who has entered the Goliat competition with her first biggie, a hefty 170kg squash named Tupin. It was grown with seeds from Bekkie.

Joubert has been growing vegetables for the past 20 years but only added pumpkins to his veggie garden a few years ago. Earlier this year he sold a 200kg pumpkin for R6,000, to be used in a TV commercial.

Goliat van Gat Pumpkin Festival organiser Henri Combrink said giant pumpkin hobbyists paid top dollar for seeds from previous winners.

“After the competition, the produce is kept by the competition unions and the winning seeds are sold for R150 for two. The flesh of the pumpkin is given to charity organisations and feeding schemes.”

Joubert said he bought his latest seeds in January last year for “a bargain” — R1,800 for 12.

“In their winter months the UK markets sell their winning seeds on auction to pay for their pumpkin club expenses. I had to wake up at 2am to bid for these seeds on the Wisconsin Giant Pumpkin Growers auction.”

The seeds come from a squash that weighed over 800kg. “Good seed genetics are 80% of what goes into growing a giant, then climate and soil,” Joubert said.

“Some of these overseas growers play music to their plants, they say classical is best. Personally I don’t think it works — no sweet talking from me either; give them what they need and they’ll grow."

“I’ve also heard that some growers sleep next to their giants but I’m not that weird — my wife would divorce me.”