DeWitt County resident grows Illinois largest pumpkin in 2020

Posted on October 1, 2020
Henry Bartimus’ pumpkin weighed over 1,500 pounds. (Photo courtesy: Henry Bartimus/Facebook)

By Blake Haas

CLINTON – A DeWitt County resident has grown Illinois’ largest pumpkin in 2020, weighing over 1,500 pounds.

For over 30-years, Henry Bartimus has grown pumpkins, but this year, he produced the largest pumpkin in Illinois, weighing in at 1,673, according to the Illinois Giant Pumpkin Growers Association.

“Some of its luck, because storms come through and tear all the leaves off of (the) plant. (You have) insects and Illinois has a big problem with powdery mildew and sometimes downy mildew. I spray my plant every week, usually with a pesticide or a fungicide. I sometimes fertilize every day, but I only use about a teaspoon of fertilizer.

“In the spring, like I said, it’s four (or) five hours a day (of working) right up till August. Sometimes you get a break then because you stop the plant vines from growing.”

Henry Baitman with is award-winning pumpkin. (Photo courtesy: Henry Baitman/Facebook)

Bartimus said he usually takes his pumpkins to local zoo’s, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he would be taking his pumpkin to pumpkin farms across the state.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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