Germany has a new champion. Luca Stöckl, a molecular biotechnology student at the Technical University of Munich, has won first prize in the European giant pumpkin contest held every year in the town of Ludwigsburg. With his, a 1,052 kilo specimen has also broken the German record.

The winning pumpkin was cut, after being exposed to the ceiling for a few days, yesterday. It was made by a professional carver, with a foxtail saw, and a lot of technique, since the giant pumpkin, if it is also awarded, even the seeds are used and they are not cheap although they were several centuries ago.. The only thing a pumpkin was worth in the Middle Ages was to kill hunger and libido, to the point that its consumption in convents and monasteries was the norm to avoid the lust of its inhabitants, sin.

Now it turns out that the pumpkin, whose seeds were used to make rosaries and whose meat fed the poor after the Second World War, is a delicacy with excellent health properties.. and for sex. Pumpkin tea is said to be an aphrodisiac and naturopaths advise men to include it in their diet because they say it encourages sperm production, increases testosterone, and stimulates the immune system with its vitamins and minerals for libido.. Pumpkin seeds are rich sources of calcium, potassium, and vitamins B, E, C, D, K. I don't even want to imagine what effects the infusion of a giant pumpkin seed would have.

Those in this world say that Stöckl will be able to ask for up to 50 euros for each one and although I don't know how many seeds a pumpkin has, I imagine that the multiplication will result in several digits that would allow him to cover costs.

Cultivation is neither easy nor cheap. Stöckl has a 200-square-meter heated greenhouse, but that doesn't guarantee he'll take the pumpkin to the end.. “You need a bit of luck, understanding the soil and the growth of the pumpkin, as there is always the risk of it breaking,” he explains.

The winning pumpkin is a variety from the United States called Atlantic Giant and not genetically manipulated. From the time he planted the seed, in mid-April, until he loaded it up to take it to the contest, three months passed.. From the end of May to mid-July, during the critical phase, he dedicated up to three hours of work daily. The soil must be maintained with adequate nutrients and the fruit temperature must be regulated.. Pay attention to whether you need to turn up the heat or cool the pumpkin with water mist, as appropriate.

Starting in July you just have to keep the plant alive and that means about a thousand liters of water a day and sprays so that the shell does not crack. Otherwise, it would not be possible to make her gain weight, as he did, up to 30 kilos a day without breaking.

Transportation to Ludwigsburg was another challenge. “We secured the pumpkin with six tie-down straps and non-slip mats. The trip was like riding on raw eggs. You have to drive very slowly because a trailer with such a large pumpkin is an attraction on the highway and can quickly cause distracted accidents,” he says. Stöckl, obsessed with pumpkins since he was eight years old. It is not known if his fascination comes from a story or because a girl gave them to him. For Stöckl, what counts is going to another, even bigger pumpkin.