How to Measure Giant Pumpkins

Growing giant vegetables, such as pumpkins, is a hobby and sport for many gardeners, and, aside from the local county fair, there are a wide number of competitions with big cash prizes and international recognition for the giant pumpkin grower. However, to enter many of these contests, you need to know the size and weight of your entry, and even serious amateur growers rarely have easy access to scales large enough for giant pumpkins. That's when growers employ a method called Over the Top estimation.

Giant pumpkin
Cloth measuring tape
Pen and scrap paper
Calculator
Internet access

Instructions

- 1
  Measure around the fattest part of the pumpkin (or "waist") parallel to the ground. This measurement is the circumference of the pumpkin. Note the measurement on the scrap paper.
- 2
  Lay one end of the measuring tape on the ground by the pumpkin's stem, then take the tape over the pumpkin and then over to the ground again at the blossom end. Do not lay the tape against the contours of the pumpkin to the ground. This is the first over-the-top measurement: Note the measurement on the scrap paper.
- 3
  Lay one end of the tape on the ground on the pumpkin's fattest side, over the top of the pumpkin and then back down to the ground on the other side. Do not lay the tape against the contours of the pumpkin to the ground. This is the second over-the-top measurement. Note the measurement on the scrap paper.
- 4
  Add the two over-the-top measurements to the circumference measurement to get your OTT total. Use the calculator, as necessary, and round the total up or down to the nearest whole number.
- 5
  Check this total number against an Over the Top weight table (see Resources) to determine the approximate weight of your giant pumpkin.

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