WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. —

The pumpkin in Tony Scott's backyard weighs almost as much as a small car.

He's been tending to it for months, feeding it fertilizer and covering it with a blanket at night to keep it at a stable temperature. A roll of measuring tape wrapped around the pumpkin gives him a rough estimate of its size.

"I've never seen anything grow this fast," said Scott, a semiconductor engineer from upstate New York.

Video above from last year's pumpkin season: Topsfield Fair begins with annual giant pumpkin contest

Every year, growers like Scott push their pumpkins to the limit. They compete in annual weigh-offs with colossal fruits that are well over 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms). Scott's pumpkin took third place this year, coming in at 1,931 pounds (876 kilograms).

Pumpkins

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