One giant melon

In a land known for its giant vegetables, it’s a fruit that is stealing the headlines in Alaska. Palmer nurseryman Scott Robb set an unofficial Guinness World Record Monday when he had his enormous cantaloupe put on the scales at the Alaska State Fair. It weighed in at 64.8 pounds, which, after paperwork is filed, will give Robb his fourth world record.

“When you reach a certain measure on the tape measure, you know you’ve got something special growing,” Robb said. “We knew right away that this one was special.”

The cantaloupe is a muskmelon, and it reached 50 inches around and 19 3/4 inches long. The Robbs were hoping to harvest it right before the Alaska State Fair, but it reached its full potential a few weeks earlier.

Mardie Robb, Scott’s wife, said the fair really pulled together to make sure the world record melon didn’t go for naught.

“They had all the official judges get together and the weights and measures person there to make sure everything was official,” Mardie Robb said. “I was so excited I was almost in tears.”

Robb grows giant cabbages every year, but he’s not just confined to the leafy vegetable. In 1999, he set the Guinness World Record with a 75.75-pound rutabaga. He followed that success up with a 42.4-pound kale in 2001 for his second Guinness mark, and just last year added a third Guinness World Record to his resume with a 63.3-pound stalk of celery.

While science, genetics and super secrets are all important, Robb said he’s no different than any of the athletes competing in the Olympics right now in Athens, Greece.

“Just like those athletes, it takes dedication and hard work every single day. You have to be willing to put in the hours and be dedicated to it,” Robb said.

“Some guys are out fishing, hunting, riding Jet-Skis, four-wheelers. I don’t do any of that. When summer comes, I’m there,” Robb said, pointing to his garden. “It’s my passion. It’s my wife’s passion. It’s what we do.”

This year, in addition to the giant cabbages and the world record cantaloupe, Robb is growing giant beets, radishes and turnips. He figures he may have a fifth Guinness mark with one of his turnips, but it is still growing.

So how does Robb grow giant fruits and enormous vegetables? Well, he’ll only tell you a few things about it — things you could get off the Internet, or by talking to other farmers. The rest of the details — the really good stuff — are stored in Robb’s mind, and good luck trying to pry them out.

“Every grower has their own secrets,” Robb said with a chuckle.

In the cantaloupe’s case, he started out with some seeds he got from P&P Seed Company’s World Record variety, which is run by Ray Waterman, considered one of the top giant pumpkin growers in the world.

“That’s a great seed source,” Robb said. “You have to have the genetics to begin with. Without good seeds, you’re just wasting your time if you are trying for world records.”

Then, it’s time to hand pollinate the seeds and plant them. From there, it’s a lot of food and watering — sometimes up to three times a day — and lots of trial and error. Of course, you have to factor in a lot of variables such as heat, humidity, soil acidity and other details.

“Taking care of the fruits and vegetables is just part of my daily routine,” Robb said. “I go get the mail, water the cantaloupes, look after the garden.”

This year was a particularly good year for cantaloupes, which thrive under hot conditions — the previous world record, which stood for six years, was grown in the Carolinas, where most of the giant fruits are grown.

“That’s why they’re going to be surprised when they find out some guy from Alaska — ALASKA! — grew this thing,” Robb said pointing to the melon, which covers an entire card table.

Of course, the great growing conditions for cantaloupe has a trade-off — cold-weather crops such as cabbage don’t particularly enjoy the hot sun. That’s why Robb and other growers have had to adapt their routines this year.

“With growing giant vegetables, you can’t control so many things, which I think makes it more fun,” Robb said. “It keeps you guessing. I know I’m not going to quit until I have the world record, or I can at least consistently be on top.”

Next year, however, Robb isn’t going to try and top his own cantaloupe record. He’s got his sights set on bigger and better melons.

“I’m going after the watermelon record now, but that’s a toughie,” Robb said.