Mega Pumpkins to Go Stem-to-Stem for Size Crown

Even the most experienced Southern California gardeners will own up to the fact that August and September can be rather rough on their personal patches of flora.

After all, these are the days of triple-digit spikes, and some serious sun-blasting, and not every plant loves such extreme heat.

But there are a few hearty specimens out there that continue to plug away on the grow-super-hugenormous front, even through some of our region's most extreme heat waves.

They're the giant pumpkins, and a number of them will be out and ready to squash the competition at the Irvine Park Railroad's annual Great Pumpkin Weigh-off.

The Orange-based competition will sprout on Saturday morning, Sept. 21.

Admission is free, parking is additional, and the activities at the Irvine Park Railroad pumpkin patch do have a fee (should you want to stay for a train ride or face painting).

Cash prizes are at stake, with biggest pumpkin, youngest grower, and other categories creating an exciting stir. And the three ultimate biggies of the bunch? They'll remain at the family destination, to be wowed over by visitors, through Oct. 14, 2019.

If you're curious about how gargantuan these bouncing, off-the-vine colossuses get, check this amazement out: A forklift will be in use.

Which means you can count on seeing ginormous gems tipping the scales at several hundred pounds.

So how's your garden doing? Did your daisies do well over the summer? Have your roses risen to the occasion?

Find inspiration at Irvine Park Railroad on Sept. 21, among the enormous, stem-topped wonders that make the eye-popping scene at this annual autumn kick-off.