A growing passion for pumpkins and plants

WORLAND - What began as a family outing to watch the giant pumpkin drop has turned into one teen's passion for plants, giant, carnivorous and everything in between.

Dawson Utterback, a freshman at Worland High School this fall watched the giant pumpkin weigh-in and pumpkin drop and decided to try his hand at growing giant pumpkins. He attended a Washakie County Extension class on growing giant pumpkins taught by Jay Richard.

"I watched the pumpkin drop and got hooked. I got my first seeds from Jay Richard. He's become my mentor," Utterback said.

Last year was Utterback's first year in growing giant pumpkins. His family has allowed him 150 square feet in their back yard in Worland, which allows him to start three pumpkins and then he narrows the three to one to nurture and grow.

This year he used seeds from his pumpkin he grew last year. Because of the hard shell on the giant pumpkin seeds, Utterback said the seeds have to soak in warm water until you get the outer shell off. He then wraps them in a paper towel and in a Ziploc bag.

He started the seeds on Mother's Day, he said. Once planted outside as the plant grows a trench is dug to bury the vine in order for the plant to put down more roots.

Early on, he said the pumpkins can put on 20 pounds easily. He then determines who is growing the fastest and narrows the pumpkins to one to focus on.

When the vine is about six feet he digs a trench and buries the vine to provide more roots. The vine can grow fast, a foot a day at its peak, Utterback said.

He said he buries the vines with compost and fertilizes once a week.

Once growth starts the giant pumpkins need to be covered in order to prevent the sun from drying out the outer skin. While the pumpkin does not need sun, the vines do need sun for the pumpkin to grow, he explained.

Before the giant pumpkin gets too large to lift he puts down a board and sand to place the pumpkin on to help eliminate moisture under the pumpkin, which prevents any possibility of rotting.

As the pumpkin grows, Dawson said he must make sure there is slack on the vine around the stem. The stem, also should be perpendicular to the vine. If there is not enough slack the vine could inadvertently pop the stem.

Richard said, "He does a good job of watering, protecting and sheltering the pumpkin."

Last year's pumpkin weighed 459 pounds. He said he got a late start that hampered the growth. The pumpkin earned him fourth place overall at the Wyoming State Championship Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and first place in the 150-square foot division.

This year his pumpkin took fourth overall with 617 pounds.

After the first year of growing a giant pumpkin, Dawson got hooked on all things plants and now has 50 different species around the house. His latest passion is carnivorous plants, including some Venus fly trap plants and Nepenthes.

His favorite plant right now is the nepenthes fusca x tiveyi, it is a rare hybrid pitcher plant.

Unlike most plants the nepenthes has separate male and female flowers.

Dawson comes by his love of plants naturally with his grandmother having a garden. Dawson's mom, Stacy, said he would spend time with his grandmother in her garden.

The green thumb did not get passed along as Stacy and Ryan both said they don't have the passion or the green thumb that Dawson has.

"He really likes plants," Stacy said.

Next year, Dawson said, rather than working on growing another giant pumpkin, he is looking at growing a giant squash. His mentor, Jay Richard, said he was planning to pick up seeds for Dawson earlier this month on a trip to Torrington.

WHY GROW A GIANT PUMPKIN?

Well-known Worland giant pumpkin grower, Jay Richard, who won the 2020 Giant Pumpkin Weigh-in on Sept. 26, said most people grow giant pumpkins for the novelty.

He said every part of the plant can be eaten but the pumpkin is pretty much flavorless. However, he noted that the first year they did the giant pumpkin drop, a lady picked up a large chunk of the pumpkin, made him a cake and left it for him with a note. He does not know who it was but the cake was "absolutely wonderful."

The seeds, because of the hard shell need to be eaten like sunflower seeds cracking and shelling the outer shell and eating the inside.

Dawson Utterback said to him the seeds taste similar to almonds.

"But really, the only reason to grow them is the novelty and the satisfaction," Richard said.

They can also be carved, which Ryan Green has done with one of Richard's giant pumpkins every year after the giant pumpkin drop. Green will again carve a masterpiece from one of Richard's pumpkins but a date for the carving has not been set at this time.