first time growing pumpkins

[AndrewC]

can i ask why you have cut the leaves?

[darkcrystal]

because they were dying they were going yellow and very very brown, the stork on the leaves were yellow too, so i cut them off hoping there will be new ones growing.

[AndrewC]

oh right and should they grow new ones? ive looked at the plant in the front garden this morning and there is now 2 fruits so which ever grows first will stay and the ones in the back garden are growing out of control i cant keep up with them. i made a netted fence to go around them but now its too small so that went out of the window and someone has also give me a fig tree so i need to find some place that can go.

[darkcrystal]

to be honest i dont know if they will grow new ones, but i was worried that they had a illness so i chopped them off just incase it spread. a fig tree they grow quite big dont they? have you got a big garden to put it in?????? i would like a gooseberry bush once i have an allotment but im not sure if thats possible.

[AndrewC]

im not too sure how big they grow havent really looked into it. my gardens not huge but a decent size for me the wife the kids the pets and plants. it keeps the kids happy doing something different everday

[darkcrystal]

yes my kids enjoy watching the things growing, but my garden in not huge and the pumpkins are quickly taking over lol. so there is less room for them to play in now lol

[AndrewC]

have the leaves started to grow back yet

[Matt.]

They won't grow replacement new leaves here you have cut them off. The plant will heal the wound but thats it. If you terminate a vine it won't encourage side shoots either it will just put the energey into what it already has.

[AndrewC]

oh so its a good thing cutting leaves off? will it not kill off the plant?

[queequay]

Slugs wont cross copper or Vasaline so either put some copper wire down or copper tape . Also you can buy a clear gel stuff that you can put anywhere that slugs wont cross .

[darkcrystal]

some one told me a good way of pollenating the female flower is to cut a male flower off and then peel back the petals, then place the male flower in to the middle of the female flower it worked for me i have 5 pumpkins growing now.....they wont be massive as there is more than one growing on one stem......if you want a massive pumpkin then keep cutting off the female buds and then the plant will put all its energy in to that pumpkin......im going to try it next year.......

[AndrewC]

well ive finaly got flowers on my plants they have all opened within the night so i might try that is the female pollen always hard?

[BumbleB]

My pumpkin plant had got huge, also had a pumpkin the size of a melon growing and lots more flowers. But !! something is eating away at it. Not sure if it is mice, slugs, foxes etc. I don't hold out much hope of getting another to grow to that size before it too gets attacked!

[dexterdoglancashire]

I planted 8 plants underneath my beans - by gum! They arent half growing. Ive got pumpkins growing too - with no help from me. How can you tell when they are ripe? Mine are slightly larger than melons, and green like a watermelon.

[dexterdoglancashire]

oh so its a good thing cutting leaves off? will it not kill off the plant?

Good question. Mine have got that many "legs" they are taking over that corner of my allotment! Can I cut off some of the legs without stunting anything else growing before it?