Pumpkins & squashes

[Martini]

Anyone else growing pumpkins or squashes. We are growing some small pumpkiny things called "winter squashes".

Plants have suddenly gone gigantic and are threatening to take over whole garden. Have about 5 or 6 tiny (size of ping pong ball) mini pumpkins, which seem to be attracting some giant slugs/ snails.

So what now? (Sorry layout of this message has gone a bit stretched out - not sure why)

Will they get bigger or do I need to do some
courgette like flower fertilising. How to stop them going rotten - they are just lying on some straw on ground. How long will the take to get big?

Cannot do biggest pumpkin competition as ours aren't designed to be big but don't mind quoting you sizes/ weights if they make it to adulthood.

Me too! I'm growing pumpkins,courgettes,butternut & winter squashes.I have had to use slug pellets,much as I dislike them.They will get bigger.By about September,they should be nearly ripe.You don't need to do anything other than make sure you water them well & give them a weekly dose of tomato feed.

I usually put a slate or old tile underneath mint to stop them rotting.Real obsessives turn the pumpkins to stop them going flatter on one side than the other.I don't bother.

If they take up too much space,try training them up a trellis or over a fence ect.Mine are scrambling over my irises & next doors fence.

Let us know how you get on.

I'm also growing courgettes, pumpkin and several different squashes.
Have loads of courgettes, a couple of little pumpkins and one tiny little yellow squash.
Need to get some straw this weekend but slugs don't seem bothered by them yet but I think thats the puppy eating them all before they get anywhere near....he has his uses!

Might pinch the slate idea!

That is the best use I ever heard of for a dog. WOuld he like to come and spend a few days in SE London. Does he do snails as well as slugs.

The pumpkins could easily go up fence - will try with bean poles as have plenty going spare.