Busy season for the family-run patch
The attraction on the A442 announced the restriction on social media. Dexter Lawley and his family, who run the patch, say poor summer weather has affected their pumpkin crop even as visitor numbers have made this their busiest year since 2021.
Lawley described demand in even stronger terms when speaking to the Kidderminster Shuttle: "We've been super busy; it's our busiest year ever this year so far."
Visitors have traveled from across the UK, including Southampton, he said. Among them were couples on dates and a couple over 70 who told him pumpkin picking was on their bucket list.
Admission to the patch is free. Its autumn entertainment also includes a funfair, food trucks and animal experiences. Lawley said the family's aim was to provide an affordable outing: "Our main aim is to make a good day out that is free, where families can come and have fun, and an affordable day without it costing the earth."
He said the entertainment was intended to give families more to do than pick pumpkins, with time together and making memories central to the experience. He also said pumpkin picking seemed to be becoming a tradition.
Shortages disrupt pumpkin picking across the UK
The local shortage comes in a season when farms elsewhere in the UK have canceled pick-your-own events. The Independent reported on September 25 that Broadditch Farm in Kent expected only a couple of thousand pumpkins, compared with the roughly 25,000 it normally grows on five to six acres. Wonky Parsnip farm in Faversham, Kent, canceled its pumpkin-picking season altogether.
BBC News reported on September 28 that summer 2026 was the UK's hottest on record. It brought five widespread heatwaves and 40 days with temperatures above 30°C (86°F), surpassing the previous record of 34 days. Growers reported that the resulting drought left pumpkins smaller and ripening earlier than usual.
The National Farmers' Union called the 2026 growing season "exceptionally challenging." Martin Emmett, chairman of its Horticulture and Potatoes Board, said prolonged heat and dry weather had put pressure on growers from establishing crops in spring through to the quality and size of the harvest. Despite those difficulties, he said there would still be "plenty" of British pumpkins in shops for carving, according to BBC News.
Earlier ripening and concerns about future harvests
At RHS Wisley in Surrey, the Royal Horticultural Society observed rapid pumpkin growth in August's heat and earlier-than-usual maturity, BBC News reported. The pumpkins were relatively small, though their quality appeared unaffected.
The society noted that pumpkins originate in the Americas and are well adapted to heatwaves and dry soil. Even so, watering became helpful at Wisley after the soil dried out in July.
Growers were also concerned about future pumpkin harvests, The Independent reported. They cited analysis from the UK Government Office for Science suggesting that a strong El Niño expected in winter 2026 could bring a range of severe weather conditions to the UK in the following months.
