Dunedin boy Ollie Kemmett (3) was celebrating on Saturday after securing second place in a pumpkin-growing competition by producing a 52.2kg whopper - more than three times his own 17kg weight.
The oversized vegetable was grown from seed at home in the youngster's very own vegetable patch, beginning in spring last year.
Ollie's mother, Julie Hamilton, said her son was a keen gardener and had asked for a vegetable patch as a Christmas present.
He had since produced potatoes, peas, broccoli and other vegetables, although he was better at growing them than eating the results, she said.
Such was his enthusiasm, he even insisted on a particular bedtime story each night - the Yates Young Gardener growing guide for children, she said.
The Kids Pumpkin competition was run by Mitre 10 Mega stores across New Zealand, and on Saturday in Dunedin 12 pumpkins were presented to judges, marketing manager Alison Beck said.
The competition was intended to encourage healthy lifestyles by introducing children to vegetables and to gardening, Ms Beck explained.
Ollie's pumpkin was pipped at the post by an 80kg monster produced by 11-year-old Dunedin girl Holly Barton, but Ms Hamilton said her son was not disappointed by his pumpkin.
''He's very proud of it.''
