Atlantic Giant Pumpkin

Cucurbita maxima 'Atlantic Giant'

vegetable

The world-record pumpkin. Atlantic Giant holds multiple world-record titles, with the record now exceeding 2,800 pounds and is the variety for competitive giant pumpkin growing. Average home-grown fruits reach 100 to 300 pounds. Growing an Atlantic Giant requires dedicated bed space, intensive care, and significant compost inputs — but the result is an unforgettable garden spectacle.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Corn — Provides light shade that prevents sunscald on giant pumpkin skin
• Beans — Nitrogen fixing; planted at the perimeter of the giant pumpkin bed
• Nasturtium — Planted at the bed border to deter squash bugs
• Marigold — Planted at perimeter for general pest deterrence

❌ Keep away from

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Squash vine borer →

  Bury vine nodes in soil as the vine extends so borers cannot kill the whole plant; Bt stem injection

• Squash bug →

  Daily inspection is essential at this scale; destroy egg masses; kaolin clay spray

• Powdery mildew →

  Apply neem oil or sulfur preventively; enormous leaf area is susceptible

• Sunscald →

  Shade cloth or wet burlap over developing fruit in intense summer heat

🌾 Harvest & storage

Harvest when the skin has fully hardened and the stem is completely dry and corky. The orange color should be deep and even. Use a dolly or multiple people to move — even modest home specimens weigh 50 to 150 pounds. Cure for 2 weeks. Atlantic Giant flesh is edible but stringy and not flavorful — these are grown for spectacle, not the kitchen.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

As a garden plant: extraordinary conversation-starter and community attraction. Flesh is technically edible — high in beta-carotene and fiber — but stringy texture limits culinary appeal. Seeds from giant pumpkins are particularly large and excellent roasted.