How Sunnyfields staff maintain their 10,000-pumpkin Beetlejuice mosaic

Sunnyfields Farm in Totton revealed its Halloween display last week, and now owner Ian Nelson has revealed how staff are keeping his 10,000-strong pumpkin mosaic alive.

It comes amid thunderstorm warnings for the area, with some risks of tornado-like weather.

"Pumpkins are just like courgettes," said Sunnyfields owner Ian Nelson.

"They're a fleshy, watery thing. They don't like frost, they don't like mud and it's been a very wet year."

After spending 50 hours planning and assembling £40,000 worth of pumpkins into the Tim Burton inspired display, the last thing Sunnyfields owner Ian is for the patch to rot.

The pumpkin Beetlejuice mosaic at Sunnyfields Farm, which is now open to the public. (Image: Newsquest) But as the farm has been putting on displays since 2019, Ian knows the tricks to deploy.

One includes putting a layer of wooden pallets, re-used from their growth houses, underneath the pumpkins.

Mr Nelson said: "Without pallets there would be hundreds rotting each day. We've gambled so much on this event so we try to take all of the risk out by putting together an all-weather site.

"We've got dry tracks for wheelchairs, we've got covered marquee areas and big car parks. 

"Obviously birds will go and have a bit of a peck, so we do replace a few, but it holds well when you see it from a distance."

Pumpkins sat on top of wooden pallets, like the pallets used in the display, at Sunnyfields Farm. (Image: Newsquest) It is essential to keep pumpkins used in the display whole and unbroken, because while Ian views the £40,000 display as the farm's "marketing budget," they will eventually be sold through the farm shop.

READ MORE: Sunnyfields Farm unveils Beetlejuice pumpkin display

Mr Nelson said: "The key with the pumpkin is that it’s better to carve it as close to Halloween as possible, because once you carve it, the air gets inside, and the bacteria starts forming."

Neighbouring farmer Ian Paton also came just short of breaking the world record for biggest pumpkin this harvest, with the best of his four efforts nicknamed Hagrid weighing way over 2,000lb.

Farmer Ian Paton standing alongside his giant pumpkin in front of the pumpkin display at Sunnyfields Farm. (Image: Ian Paton)Mr Paton said: “This is a totally different strain to the pumpkins you would get the shops.

"The ones you get in the shops are field pumpkins which have a hard stem, but these Atlantic giant strains have got a soft stem.

“We spent about three hours a day, seven days a week for three months burying the vines.

READ MORE: Caroline Nokes MP praises farmers on Back British Farming Day

Ian Paton's giant pumpkin, which he nicknamed Hagrid and has been driving through Marchwood this week. (Image: Ian Paton) “We cross the biggest seeds with the biggest which gives us bigger and bigger every year, and at their very peak, these pumpkins will be growing by about 70 pounds per day, but we want the world record!”