Nguyen Thanh Hai, director of Hoa Binh Lieu Cooperative, said he began growing Atlantic Giant pumpkins in 2025 after exploring agricultural tourism models in several localities, particularly Dalat.
He initially planted 20 vines of the giant pumpkin variety. After gaining experience, the cooperative expanded to 32 vines this year, producing around 50 pumpkins weighing between 40 kilogrammes and 126 kilogrammes.
"The largest weighs 126 kilogrammes and takes two or three people to carry," Hai said.
The variety grows relatively well in Vietnam's cooler areas, but producing giant pumpkins requires careful cultivation. Each vine can spread over an area of around 100 square metres and needs sufficient nutrients and well-prepared soil.
Once pollinated, the pumpkins are covered with netting to protect them from insects and fruit flies, with the covers checked daily for gaps.
Large pumpkins are also placed on foam sheets to keep them off damp soil and reduce the risk of rot, while rat traps are set around the growing area.
Despite these measures, some pumpkins weighing up to 60 kilogrammes have been damaged by rodents or insects or rotted before harvest.
The cooperative opened the farm to visitors once the pumpkins grew large enough to become an attraction. Around 1,200 people visited in just two weeks, many coming to see and photograph the giant pumpkins.
The largest pumpkins are mainly kept for display or sold to cafes, entertainment venues and tourist attractions. Under suitable conditions, they can be stored for six months to a year.
Smaller pumpkins are sold for food, while pumpkin shoots are also harvested as vegetables.
Following the attraction's popularity, the cooperative plans to expand the model next year by providing seeds to around 50 households in Hoanh Mo, with each growing about two vines.
Hai also hopes to organise a giant pumpkin competition to attract more visitors and promote local agricultural tourism.
Located at an altitude of around 900-1,000 metres, Hoanh Mo has a cool climate and is developing agricultural and nature-based tourism. The area also features cherry blossom gardens, flower farms, streams and waterfalls.
