By Ozziesteve
United Kingdom 
Pumpkins! I have trimmed off most of trailers, just leaving a couple to encourage the fruit The trailers I have left are producing lots of flowers and consequent mini-pumpkins. How many to I need to leave on the plant for best results??
Many Thanks
Steve
29 Jul, 2011
Answers
Many thanks. I'm going for decent sizes for grandkids to carve.
30 Jul, 2011
Maybe leave one pumpkin for every 2 feet of stem--that should make a good Jack O'Lantern size.
31 Jul, 2011
I wouldn't have cut off any trailers, because the plant needs all of the leaves that it can get to ripen the fruit. If you are going for large pumpkins, cut off all but a few fruit to concentrate the plant's energy on those. If you are going for lots of smallish fruit--better for pies or stews--no special pruning is needed.
29 Jul, 2011