Regular readers will have noted I have been a bit quiet on the pumpkin front this year. It has been a disaster. The first two lots have withered and died and the third crop (a collective noun for four), in truth, look like smallish lemons and are probably too late to grow much more. Very dispiriting.

Perhaps I should switch my attention to growing red cabbages. David Thomas from Cornwall, I read this week, smashed a 91 year old world record by growing a 23.2 kilogram red cabbage which he entered into the UK’s National Giant Vegetables Championship at Malvern. The previous record was held by a Mr R Straw whose red cabbage weighed in at 19.05 kg in 1925. Mr Thomas already holds the record for the heaviest parsnip and cucumber at 7.85kg and 12.9 kg respectively.

The key to his success, Dave reveals, is having the right seeds, plenty of room, good soil and a bit of luck. Simple.

Filed under: News Tagged: Dave Thomas from Cornwall., growing pumpkins, UK’s National Giant Vegetables Championship at Malvern, world's heaviest red cabbage