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| Snoop Dogg and Souleye fans of Cwmbran's Mr Giant Veg | Snoop Dogg and Souleye fans of Cwmbran's Mr Giant Veg |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Kevin Fortey (left) has held seven Guinness World Records for his giant vegetables | |
| From giving gardening tips to global superstars and royalty to advising on film sets - the life of a giant vegetable grower sounds glitzier than one might expect. | From giving gardening tips to global superstars and royalty to advising on film sets - the life of a giant vegetable grower sounds glitzier than one might expect. |
| Kevin Fortey, or Mr Giant Veg as he is known to some, has just claimed his seventh Guinness World Record - this time for a potato plant measuring 210cm (6ft 10). | Kevin Fortey, or Mr Giant Veg as he is known to some, has just claimed his seventh Guinness World Record - this time for a potato plant measuring 210cm (6ft 10). |
| He has some famous fans, with rapper Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart's gardener Ryan McCallister and Alanis Morrissette's rapper husband Souleye all contacting him for advice on growing supersized vegetables. | He has some famous fans, with rapper Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart's gardener Ryan McCallister and Alanis Morrissette's rapper husband Souleye all contacting him for advice on growing supersized vegetables. |
| Kevin, 44, from Cwmbran, Torfaen, has also shared growing tips with King Charles at Highgrove. | Kevin, 44, from Cwmbran, Torfaen, has also shared growing tips with King Charles at Highgrove. |
| What do giant veg growers eat on Christmas Day? | What do giant veg growers eat on Christmas Day? |
| 'Massive upsurge' in giant veg during lockdown | 'Massive upsurge' in giant veg during lockdown |
| Giant veg: Heavyweight champions of the earth | Giant veg: Heavyweight champions of the earth |
| Kevin Fortey (left) met up with Snoop Dogg (middle) in Cardiff | Kevin Fortey (left) met up with Snoop Dogg (middle) in Cardiff |
| The meeting with King Charles came about while filming for the BBC's Great British Village Show. | |
| He met Snoop Dogg after he got in touch asking for tips on growing giant fruits and flowers. | He met Snoop Dogg after he got in touch asking for tips on growing giant fruits and flowers. |
| "That was a surreal experience really, going to meet Snoop Dogg and his bodyguards who were two ex American footballers and must have been about 7ft tall," said Kevin. | "That was a surreal experience really, going to meet Snoop Dogg and his bodyguards who were two ex American footballers and must have been about 7ft tall," said Kevin. |
| Kevin Fortey has just won his seventh Guinness World Record - this time for a potato plant measuring 210cm (6ft 10) | Kevin Fortey has just won his seventh Guinness World Record - this time for a potato plant measuring 210cm (6ft 10) |
| He is also in touch with the hip hop artist and rapper Souleye, who is married to Alanis Morissette. | He is also in touch with the hip hop artist and rapper Souleye, who is married to Alanis Morissette. |
| Souleye grows giant tomatoes, sunflowers and courgettes in Los Angeles. | Souleye grows giant tomatoes, sunflowers and courgettes in Los Angeles. |
| "I'm always up for challenging him," said Kevin. | "I'm always up for challenging him," said Kevin. |
| "He sends me over some of the things he's doing with his children, and it's really inspirational." | "He sends me over some of the things he's doing with his children, and it's really inspirational." |
| American businesswoman Martha Stewart's head gardener Ryan McCallister has also been in touch for advice growing giant cabbages. | American businesswoman Martha Stewart's head gardener Ryan McCallister has also been in touch for advice growing giant cabbages. |
| Kevin and his brother have been gardening since they were tiny | Kevin and his brother have been gardening since they were tiny |
| Kevin's giant vegetables have been used as props in films including Pudsey the Dog and Sky crime comedy Agatha Raisin. | Kevin's giant vegetables have been used as props in films including Pudsey the Dog and Sky crime comedy Agatha Raisin. |
| He was recently a giant vegetable consultant on Swede Caroline, a British mockumentary set in the world of competitive giant vegetable growing, starring Jo Hartley and Aisling Bea. | He was recently a giant vegetable consultant on Swede Caroline, a British mockumentary set in the world of competitive giant vegetable growing, starring Jo Hartley and Aisling Bea. |
| Kevin said growing gigantic vegetables was a family tradition and he had many happy memories of being in the garden with his brother and their father. | Kevin said growing gigantic vegetables was a family tradition and he had many happy memories of being in the garden with his brother and their father. |
| Kevin's dad Mike (second from right) with his family at a pumpkin championship in the 1980s | Kevin's dad Mike (second from right) with his family at a pumpkin championship in the 1980s |
| "From when I could put my own wellies on my dad took us down to the allotments - he basically encouraged myself and my brother to have a grow, allow us to compete against him and he basically give us the the competitive genes from a very young age," he said. | "From when I could put my own wellies on my dad took us down to the allotments - he basically encouraged myself and my brother to have a grow, allow us to compete against him and he basically give us the the competitive genes from a very young age," he said. |
| His father Mike started the UK Giant Vegetable Championships from the Mill Tavern pub in Cwmbran, Torfaen, in the 1980s. | His father Mike started the UK Giant Vegetable Championships from the Mill Tavern pub in Cwmbran, Torfaen, in the 1980s. |
| Mike died from a heart attack in 1996 and Kevin believes he would be proud the family tradition has continued, with his son, nieces and nephews getting involved. | Mike died from a heart attack in 1996 and Kevin believes he would be proud the family tradition has continued, with his son, nieces and nephews getting involved. |
| "My dad is watching down upon us so probably has a smile on his face," he said. | "My dad is watching down upon us so probably has a smile on his face," he said. |
| Kevin Fortey with one of his giant marrows | Kevin Fortey with one of his giant marrows |
| During the Covid-19 pandemic he tried to encourage local community to grow vegetables in a bid to save money and support their mental health . | During the Covid-19 pandemic he tried to encourage local community to grow vegetables in a bid to save money and support their mental health . |
| A woman got in touch offering him hundreds of packets of seeds so he and neighbours distributed them to people in the area. | A woman got in touch offering him hundreds of packets of seeds so he and neighbours distributed them to people in the area. |
| "It gave them something to wake up to in the morning, seeing their vegetables grow," he said. | "It gave them something to wake up to in the morning, seeing their vegetables grow," he said. |
| But how do you grow giant vegetables? | But how do you grow giant vegetables? |
| "Growing giant veg is pretty much the same as growing ordinary veg," said Kevin. | "Growing giant veg is pretty much the same as growing ordinary veg," said Kevin. |
| "It's about having the right seeds, having a bit of luck, the right weather, learning from other people, time, commitment and learning from your mistakes." | "It's about having the right seeds, having a bit of luck, the right weather, learning from other people, time, commitment and learning from your mistakes." |
| Kevin Fortey with his super-sized cabbage | Kevin Fortey with his super-sized cabbage |
| He said he avoids using chemicals and uses horticultural soap to get rid of pests. | He said he avoids using chemicals and uses horticultural soap to get rid of pests. |
| He believes growing is for everyone. | He believes growing is for everyone. |
| "I think everyone should be going some form of vegetable, even if they have a balcony," he said. | "I think everyone should be going some form of vegetable, even if they have a balcony," he said. |