Giant Pumpkins

Giant Pumpkins written by Gabrielle Fembras

《巨型南瓜》 作者：加布里埃尔·费姆布拉斯

Giant Pumpkins Have you ever seen a giant pumpkin? One so big it would not fit in a car People all over the world have taken up the hobby of growing giant pumpkins Growers compete against one another hoping to break the record for the world's biggest pumpkin in In 2013, Tim Matheson from Napa, California, won the title with a pumpkin that weighed 2 ,032 pounds, 922 kilograms. That's how much a walrus or a small car weighs. The gigantic squash measured more than 17 feet, 5 .2 meters, around.

巨型南瓜 你见过巨型南瓜吗？ 有一种南瓜大到塞不进汽车 世界各地的人们都爱上了种植巨型南瓜这个爱好 种植者们相互比拼，都希望打破世界最大南瓜的纪录 2013年，来自加利福尼亚州纳帕的蒂姆·马西森，凭借一个重2032磅（约922千克）的南瓜夺得了桂冠。 这个重量相当于一头海象，或是一辆小汽车的重量哦。 这个巨型南瓜的周长超过17英尺，也就是5 .2米。

World's Biggest Pumpkin Tim grew three giant pumpkins over six months in 2013 his pumpkins set world records for the first third and fourth largest pumpkins ever grown at 57 years old Tim has won more than $50 ,000 in prizes for his pumpkins. He showed his record -breaking pumpkin to the world on a national television show. Tim's daughter, Tara, cannot walk or talk because of a rare medical problem. Tara joined her dad in the pumpkin patch every evening. She is my inspiration, Tim said. I took her out to the patch every night for two hours, and she'd be smiling.

世界最大南瓜 2013年，蒂姆用六个月种出了三个巨型南瓜 他的南瓜创下了世界第一、第三、第四大南瓜的世界纪录 57岁的蒂姆，已经靠他的南瓜赢了超过五万美元的奖金。 他在一档全国电视节目上，向全世界展示了这个破纪录的南瓜。 蒂姆的女儿塔拉，因为罕见的疾病，无法走路也不能说话。 塔拉每天晚上都会去南瓜地陪爸爸。 “她是我的动力”，蒂姆说。 “我每天晚上都带她去南瓜地待两个小时，她一直都笑眯眯的。”

Tim started growing giant pumpkins seven years ago. They have gotten bigger every year. He said using the best seeds, soil, and plant food is his secret. He is now sharing the seeds from his prize -winning pumpkins with growers all over the world. He hopes kids will grow their own giant pumpkins. It's amazing to watch the pumpkins grow. Some days they put on 53 pounds, 24 kilograms. It's a lot of fun.

蒂姆七年前开始种植巨型南瓜。 他种的南瓜一年比一年更大。 他说，用上最好的种子、土壤和肥料就是他的秘诀。 现在他把自己获奖南瓜的种子分享给全世界的种植爱好者。 他希望小朋友们也能种出属于自己的巨型南瓜。 看着南瓜一天天长大真的太神奇啦。 有时候它们一天就能长53磅，也就是24千克。 这可太有意思了。

Growing a Winner According to Tim, anyone can grow giant pumpkins if they understand what pumpkins need. Pumpkin growers make sure their soil is rich with nutrients. They use compost and other organic matter in the soil. Rich soil helps pumpkins grow quickly. Growers use seeds that are known to produce giant pumpkins. They plant them indoors in the spring, often in April. The plants can be hurt by cold or heat, so they must be protected.

种出冠军南瓜 蒂姆说，只要摸清楚南瓜的需求，任何人都能种出巨型南瓜。 种植者首先会保证土壤里有充足的养分。 他们会往土里添加堆肥和其他有机质。 肥沃的土壤能帮南瓜长得更快。 种植者会选用本身就能长出巨型南瓜的种子。 春天，一般是四月的时候，他们会先把种子种在室内。 幼苗会被冻伤或者热坏，所以必须好好保护。

Tim used heaters to give his pumpkins a head start in the spring of 2013. Once it was warmer, the plants were moved to a sunny spot in the garden and carefully watered and fertilized. Growers prune the plants or cut away extra vines at least every other day. When flowers appear, they are pollinated and the pumpkins start to grow. The best pumpkins grow on strong, healthy vines. Growers are careful not to use too much plant food. Pumpkins can grow too big and burst.

2013年春天，蒂姆用加热器给南瓜幼苗保温，让它们提早生长。 天气转暖后，幼苗被移栽到花园里向阳的位置，得到精心的浇水和施肥。 种植者至少每隔一天就会修剪植株，剪掉多余的藤蔓。 开花授粉之后，南瓜就开始生长了。 最棒的南瓜都长在健壮的藤蔓上。 种植者会小心控制，不会用太多肥料。 不然南瓜会长得过大，直接撑裂。