A Nizhny Novgorod schoolboy grew a giant watermelon weighing almost 48 kilograms.

      On July 10, 2026, at 16:21, Society. Schoolboy Artem Efremychev from the Navashinsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod region, who has been growing giant vegetables for several years, has harvested an impressive watermelon for the first time this season. Its weight has now reached 47.79 kilograms, reports the publication "KP-Nizhny Novgorod." Previously, the teenager gained fame by winning a nationwide competition with a zucchini weighing 44.35 kilograms. His plot also features giant pumpkins, zucchinis, beets, and patissons. Artem began working on the watermelon back in April. For its cultivation, a Bushel hybrid of lagenaria was used, which serves as a rootstock for grafting. After that, the plant was planted in a greenhouse, and in early June, it was pollinated. On cold nights, the watermelon was heated with a heat gun, and during the day, it was covered with white fabric to prevent overheating and premature ripening. According to Artem, the watermelon turned out to be less demanding in terms of watering than the giant pumpkin. It requires about 50-80 liters of water per day, but for good growth, a greenhouse area of 13-15 square meters is needed. Artem now hopes that by autumn, the watermelon will weigh up to 120 kilograms. In September, the melon crop, which Artem named Vova in honor of his father, is planned to be presented at the national harvest championship "Battle of the Giants" in Moscow. In addition to the watermelon, this season Artem is growing six giant pumpkins, a zucchini, a cucumber, beets, potatoes, and more than 60 regular watermelons. Earlier, nutritionist Rusakova shared how to avoid poisoning and not get diarrhea from watermelon. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.