Squash plants going mad

[snorkle]

My 'Crown Prince' Squash plants have grown insanely big in the last couple of weeks.

One is making a bid to take over the allotment and has sent out huge runners about 3m or more in every direction (smothering all in its path). It has at least a dozen squashes forming - should I cut a few off do you think? What's the limit to how many squashes I should let it grow?

I'd let it go for it given how early it is in the season. I generally start taking off the babies (and eating them) once it gets to August & they're not going to have time to ripen. It sounds like it has plenty of leaves to be feeding all that squash.

Thats a good idea Takver, I'm feeling somewhat reluctant to prune it back at the moment. I dimly remember the packet (which I've lost) saying to restrict the number, but I think it will just grow more smaller ones rather than a few whoppers if I leave them. The ones nearer the centre are aleady a lot bigger than the end ones, a couple are about 6 or 7" across already, so I think I should get some decently sized fruits.

At what point in August do you start to eat them?

Mid August generally here - we would expect our first frost mid-October ish (West Wales near the coast but relatively high). I guess it depends where you live, rather different in Aberdeen compared to Brighton . . .

I've never grown Crown Prince but we never restrict the number early in the season on any of our vars and they make big squash if they are going to IYSWIM (with the caveat that we are not aiming for champion sized pumpkins). Mostly I would say the problem with squashes is that they tend to make fruits that are too big to be used up in one or two meals, which is what I prefer, rather than that the fruits aren't big enough!