The Circleville Pumpkin Show may be in for another record-setting year despite a historic drought that's hit the state of Ohio.
A historic drought may not have stopped Bob and Jo Liggett from Pickaway County from growing another record-breaking pumpkin. Last year, the couple set the "Ohio State Record" by growing a 2,388.5 pound gourd.
Bob Liggett said growers used shaders to prevent the leaves from getting sun burnt. He expects some pumpkins will be more than 2,000 pounds this year and may even break the record he set last year.
"They are the largest ones ever going to be weighed at the Circleville Pumpkin Show, or to this point, I think are going to happen this year," Bob Liggett said.
The drought in Ohio this year is ongoing, even after the remnants of Hurricane Helene drenched much of the state. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows extreme and exceptional drought ratings stretching through much of central and eastern Ohio.
The drought gave farmers headaches through this year's growing season, prompting an official drought declaration opening up federal aid to farmers impacted.
Pumpkins need a lot of water to grow, according to the Ohio State University Extension. And the giant pumpkins grown for competitions need even more.
Liggett is part of the Circleville Giant Pumpkin Growers group. The group of professional and amateur growers put up dozens of gourds each year for the pumpkin show.
Liggett said growers use a variety of water sources to grow the plants and don't always rely on rainwater. That's why there may not have been much of an impact.
"Most people were able to get water from a pond. We had a couple growers that use corn water. We had a couple of growers that use rainwater. We have others that use well water. So that was a big thing, being able to get well water," Liggett said.
Liggett said growers produced more than 40 pumpkins last year. He said this year it could be less than 40, but it is hard to estimate.
"I don't think we're going to have that many this year, but because of the way the season worked, if you had the shade and the water, then that's what made the several large ones we're going to have," Liggett said.
Liggett said his largest pumpkin could come in weighting more than a ton, and the winner is likely between him and another grower who he said may also have a pumpkin weighing more than a ton.
The Circleville Pumpkin Show kicks off on Wednesday with the weighing of the pumpkins and runs through Saturday.
