Two Thorold neighbours have embraced each other’s cultures to set a new record for the longest zucchini in the world.
Last year, local resident Henry D’Angela made headlines around the world for growing a zucchini that was 99.3 inches long, but now John D’Amico and Ramesh Khurana have grown a Sicilian cucuzza squash that is over 102 inches long — and it’s still growing.
“I planted it back in June,” D’Amico tells ThoroldToday.
“I came up with a fertilizer,” adds Khurana. “We’re putting that in and that really helped us. So we’re just sharing everything.”
D’Amico has Italian roots and Khurana is from East India. By sharing plant knowledge from their respective cultures, they’ve managed to grow the longest zucchini in the world.
While the zucchini plant was initially planted on D’Amico’s property. it soon took root in Khurana’s cherry tree next door.
“As soon as it starts growing, I put a string on the end here and the string to the tree, so it climbs up the tree,” says D’Amico. “That's why it's that high.”
This is not the first time, the pair have tried growing the longest zucchini in the world.
Back in 2022, D’Amico grew a zucchini that was 81 inches long and last year the neighbours grew one that was over 91 inches.
The secret to the success of this year’s harvest is the fertilizer mix the neighbours use.
“I got liquid fertilizer from the Country Basket on Highway 20,” says D’Amico. “It’s like a miracle growth and it's really helped. Then [Ramesh] showed me this other fertilizer.”
The fertilizer Khurana introduced is called fatakdi powder, also known as alum powder.
It’s commonly sold in Indian grocery stores and it is used for a variety of things, like pickling, treating minor cuts and sores, or growing extra-long zucchinis.
“First, I was afraid to tell him my type of fertilizer,” says Khurana. “In case his plant dies, he will blame me. Then I said, ‘Look, we should try it.’”
And it was the right call to make, because as soon as the pair used the fatakdi powder, the zucchini started growing and growing.
“I couldn't believe it,” says D’Amico. “I didn’t think it was going to get that big all of a sudden. Within two weeks, it must have grown two feet.”
The neighbours say that the other secret to growing an extra-long zucchini is giving it lots of love.
“I talk to them at night,” says D’Amico. “I say goodnight to them.”
“And I say good morning,” adds Khurana.
One thing’s for certain, with the extra-ordinary length of their zucchini, D’Amico and Khurana have set a new world record and they’re already preparing to submit their application to the Guinness World Records.
“I said to Henry last year: ’I’m going to get you next year,’” laughs D’Amico. “He said to me the other day, "Holy cow, what did you use?””
D'Angela tells ThoroldToday that he is happy for D'Amico, who he sometimes swaps zucchini seeds with.
"It's unfortunate that he broke [the record] but I'm glad for him," he says. "I guess it's a healthy competition. I did grow a few this year but they only grew about 7 feet 9 inches."
The Guinness World Records organization hasn't yet certified D'Angela's result from last year because they need additional information which he still has to submit.
"It is on my to do list," he says. "I'll still send mine in. I was going to do that very shortly. I was waiting to see if the one I grew this year was going to be longer."
So it seems that the road to victory is wide open for D’Amico and Khurana. But, really, for the two neighbours, it’s all about having a good time.
“You know, we just have fun with it,” says D’Amico. “It’s a great cultural exchange.”
