Long leeks to colossal cabbages: 2024 sees huge harvest of record-breaking fruit and veg

A cornucopia of 12 record-breaking fruit and vegetables were unveiled at this year’s UK National Giant Vegetables Championships held in Worcestershire, UK, on 27–29 September. 

A long-term yearly fixture at the Malvern Autumn Show, the event organizers believe this to be among the most record-breaking entries it has ever seen ratified in a single weekend.

Among the proud growers of the supersized specimens were several familiar faces from the field of competitive horticulture, who over the years have racked up numerous GWR titles. 

But there were also a few newcomers, including eight-year-old Dasha Edwards from South Wales.

As part of a team effort with fellow green-fingered growers Chris Fowler and Kevin Fortey (all UK), Dasha helped to nurture the longest aubergine on her family’s farm park near Cardiff. A new category for Guinness World Records, they have now set the mark to beat at 41 cm (1 ft 4.1 in long). 

Dasha, who has been growing vegetables since she was four, told GWR she felt “excited and proud” on finding out their eggplant had claimed the record.

It wasn’t all plain sailing though, as she explained: “On our first attempt, some kind of rodent chewed on the aubergine plant, but on our second attempt it worked well.”

Now she’s got a taste of record-setting success, Dasha is keen to continue, revealing: “My plan is to grow the longest cucumber next year.”

This extraordinary eggplant follows in the wake of the heaviest aubergine, which was recognized on 31 July. 

From an eight-year-old to an 81-year-old, Ian Neale (UK) – who also hails from South Wales but unlike Dasha has three decades’ experience of competing under his belt –added another GWR title to his impressive career haul with a green pepper that tipped the scales at almost a kilogram!

His 966-g (2-lb 2.8-oz) mega-pepper is more than seven times the average examples you’ll find on offer at your local supermarket and officially the heaviest bell pepper.

Neale smashed the previous record, which was registered at Malvern in 2023 by long-term rival grower Peter Glazebrook (see below), by a hefty 216 g (7.6 oz).

Another well-known competitor on the British growing circuit, Joe Atherton of Nottingham, who has established a reputation as “King of the Longs” added two more lengthy root vegetables to his CV: the longest turnip – at 4.842 m (15 ft 10.6 in) – and the longest radish, which at 7.401 m (24 ft 3.4 in) is longer than a minibus! 

Atherton already boasted the lauded titles of longest carrot – 6.245 m (20 ft 5.86 in) set in 2016, the longest parsnip – 6.55 m (21 ft 5.87 in) set in 2017 and the longest beetroot – 8.56 m (28 ft) set in 2020 – among others.

Here is a full list of the record-breaking produce ratified at the 2024 National Giant Vegetables Championships in Malvern:

• Heaviest kohlrabi: 47 kg (103 lb 9.9 oz), by Chris Marriott (UK)

• Heaviest bell pepper: 966 g (2 lb 2.8 oz), by Ian Neale (UK)

• Heaviest celeriac: 6.33 kg (13 lb 15.3 oz), by Graham Barratt (UK)*

• Heaviest red cabbage: 33 kg (72 lb 12 oz), by Chris Evans (UK)

• Heaviest sunflower head: 7.046 kg (15 lb 8.5 oz), by Peter Glazebrook (UK)

• Heaviest runner bean pod: 254 g (8.96 oz), by Martin Enstone (UK)

• Tallest cucumber plant: 6.497 m (21 ft 3.8 in), by Kevin Fortey

• Longest leek: 1.582 m (5 ft 2.3 in), by Peter Glazebrook

• Longest turnip: 4.842 m (15 ft 10.6 in), by Joe Atherton (UK)

• Longest radish: 7.401 m (24 ft 3.4 in), by Joe Atherton

• Longest broad bean pod: 45.5 cm (1 ft 5.9 in), by James Brown (UK)

• Longest aubergine: 41 cm (1 ft 4.1 in), by Dasha Edwards, Chris Fowler and Kevin Fortey (all UK)

*(The heaviest celeriac title didn’t last long as just the following week on 5 October, Curtis Leach (UK) presented a 6.6-kg (14-lb-8.8-oz) specimen at the Wargrave Nursey Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off.)

The head judge at the UK National Giant Vegetables Championships, Sebastian Suski, had an extremely busy weekend, having to assess hundreds of entries.

Reflecting on the bounty of records set this year, he said: “Judging at the Malvern Autumn Show for the second year was very special for me albeit a lot of hard work!

“There were over 640 entries from growers who came from all across the UK, including one [James Brown, who claimed the longest broad bean pod], who drove 17 hours from Scotland! This just shows the passion and dedication of the growing community.

"Such success is never guaranteed," Suski continued, "and is a testament to the skill and unwavering commitment of the growers. The weather was very difficult this year, especially the last two weeks before the show.”