Woman sets new state record for largest pumpkin grown by a woman in Illinois

STILLMAN VALLEY, Ill. (Gray News) - It’s spooky season and you can’t have Halloween without pumpkins - really big pumpkins.

And in Ogle County, Illinois, a woman set a new state record for growing an almost 1,900-pound pumpkin for her local pumpkin growing contest.

WIFR shared photos of Theresa Miller of Stillman Valley who now holds the record for the largest pumpkin grown by a woman in the state of Illinois.

She earned second place at the Illinois Giant Pumpkin Growers weigh-off in Minooka over the weekend with a 1,871-pound pumpkin she named, “Miss Impressive.”

For over a decade, Miller says she has been raising giant pumpkins while fine-tuning the craft.

And since May, Miller spent close to 3-4 hours per day caring for three pumpkins: “Chalky,” “Tater Tot,” and of course, “Miss Impressive.”

Seeds are key to growing pumpkins this size and because of Theresa’s passion for giant pumpkin growing, her pumpkin seeds have become quite the commodity.

Watering, fertilization, vine trimming, and protection from the elements are a few of the daily tasks required for success. At times these pumpkins can grow almost 60 pounds per day.

“Miss Impressive” will be on display at Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden for their fall events. But the pumpkin won’t be there for long as the arboretum plans on having a local artist carve the pumpkin closer to Halloween.