Removing leaves?

[Beckybex]

Hi, I was wondering whether it would be o.k to remove some of the biggest leaves from my courgette plants? They are already fruiting well but are casting quite a lot of shade! Also want to know if I should pinch out growing shoots from pumpkin now they have set a couple of fruit? I only have one plant but its already escaped the raised bed and is sprawling over the lawn making it tricky to mow!Thanks guys!

[Capsid]

I wouldn't remove the leaves of your courgettes, these are providing the nutrients for the growth of the fruits. What are they shading that you are worried about? The leaves will move of their own to find the optimum place to catch the sunlight, so best left well alone IMO.

You probably can pinch out the pumpkin, but as for the courgette, you need to balance the amount of leaf required to produce such a large fruit.

[ecoprincess]

It doesn't matter that the leaves are shading the fruit, it's the leaves that need the light for photosynthesis etc

[Two_Sheds]

Also want to know if I should pinch out growing shoots from pumpkin now they have set a couple of fruit?.... is sprawling over the lawn

I wouldn't yet, in case the fruits fall off. Wait until they are bigger and look like stayers.
You can train the vine round in a circle, pinning it down with bent wire, to stop it taking over your lawn.

[queen of the cobs]

I agree with flummery. I've been growing squash for a while now, and you can lose small fruits sometimes. let them get good and sold and a few inches long and they'll probably stay. I find if you pinch out the growing end (and even if you don't) you can get side shoots which will become further growing stepms. Up to you if you want to pinch these out, depending on your space. I have put a frame up in my allotment and I grow my squash up it, but I appreicate that you might not want something like that in your back garden.

best of luck, nothing like a homegrown squash (I roast mine, stuffed with chestnuts, cranberries and gorgonzola, yum!)

[zazen999]

I do remove courgette leaves, the ones that start to look tatty and if any grow and try to knock any neighbouring crops over, then they come off. I've always done this and never had a problem with the fruits not setting or anything else.

Pumpkin, wait until you have a few on there growing - they can get to quite a size before they just fall off....

[Topcat36]

Removed some of mine cos they had mildew, but not nice big healthy ones.