Who can grow the heaviest pumpkin? That’s the key question at the annual World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California. This year’s top prize went to Brandon Dawson, whose pumpkin weighed about as much as a small car!

Grown from a tiny seed, Dawson’s giant gourd tipped the scales at 2,346 pounds (1,064 kilograms), more than any other pumpkin in the contest. After Dawson realized he’d won, he put his two kids on top of the pumpkin and pumped his fists in the air. It was Dawson’s first win, but not his first try. He placed second at the 2024 weigh-off, where his massive pumpkin wasn’t quite heavy enough.

“My mind is kind of racing because I was in this position last year when I lost by 6 pounds (3 kilograms),” Dawson told the Associated Press.

Last year’s winner, Travis Gienger, was unable to participate in this year’s contest because his giant pumpkin split open while it was growing. But Gienger still traveled to the event from his home in Minnesota to cheer on the other growers.

Experts say it takes patience and plenty of time to grow giant pumpkins, which belong to a pumpkin species called the Atlantic Giant. The seed is planted in April and takes about 6 months to grow into a mature pumpkin. Like most other plants, the giant pumpkin plant uses sunlight to make its own food—but it can require hundreds of gallons of water daily. With the proper care, a giant pumpkin can grow by 50 to 70 pounds (23 to 32 kilograms) each day!

For Dawson, an engineer who considers gardening to be his hobby, the effort paid off. He took home $21,000 along with the glory of victory.