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<\/p>\nMonster veg is getting bigger – after TikTokers started doing it to attract more followers.<\/p>\n
Video clips of bumper broccoli, titanic tomatoes and super-sized suede quickly go viral prompting a new generation of gardeners to give it a grow.<\/p>\n
Nine Guinness World Records were smashed for giant vegetables at the recent Malvern Autumn Show, Worcs.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Pasta expert shares how to 'perfectly' cook it using special Italian method<\/b><\/p>\n
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Earlier this month a pumpkin dubbed 'Michael Jordan' was named the world's heaviest at 1.25 tonnes after its owner watered it 12-times-a-day and blew \u00a312,000 on its upkeep.<\/p>\n
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Brit Gerald Stratford, 74, was invited to model for fashion brands Gucci, Alexander McQueen and White Stuff after an online video of his enormous spuds went viral.<\/p>\n
The green-fingered gardener from Milton-Under-Wychwood, Oxon, boasts 300,000 Twitter followers.<\/p>\n
"I don't do holidays. I don't do days off,'' he said. "This is us, the plants and the animals. I love these plants like my kids. And when I dig them up they've proved they love me back.''<\/p>\n
Experts say giant veg records are tumbling thanks to advances in genetics as more growers around the world share seeds and breeding programmes are developed.<\/p>\n
Longer, milder seasons in the UK also help. This summer's rainfall has produced enormous pumpkins in time for Halloween.<\/p>\n
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But a major factor has been the trendiness of turning out monster marrows. Two of The Great British Bake Off's younger contestants Abbi and Josh, both 27, are vegetable-growing enthusiasts.<\/p>\n
Amy Chapman, 26, who boasts green hair and tattoos, runs hit social media account @inthecottagegarden from her home in Wales.<\/p>\n
"From what I saw of people growing vegetables on TV I thought gardening was something that's more for older middle class people,'' she said.<\/p>\n
But she added: "It lends itself so well to TikTok. It's so visual.'' <\/p>\n
The seeds were sown for the boom in the 80s when Welsh farmer Mike Fortey started the giant vegetable championships over a pint in his local pub after accepting a challenge to see who could grow the biggest onion.<\/p>\n
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His son Kevin took up the mantle and has won nine world records, including one this year for the tallest tomatillo plant at 11ft 6in.<\/p>\n
Kevin, 45, now runs the TikTok account 'giantveg' and admitted: "There's a lot more competition. Americans are trying to catch up with us in the UK.''<\/p>\n
Fortey, an NHS project manager, said giant veg growing is a 'sport' equal to marathon running.<\/p>\n
"We're all looking to achieve the biggest heaviest, longest, tallest, widest,'' he said. "Our marathon is growing a marrow over nine months to become the biggest and best from around the world.''<\/p>\n
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