pumpkin plant

[specialmom]

Hello.  I had a pumpkin last fall that was broken into for the seeds by a ravenous squirrel.  I discarded the pumpkin but where the event occured, right by my front door step, a pumpkin seed survived and is now growing a luscious pumpkin plant.  At first I was thrilled---------- how cool to grow my own pumpkins!  It must be the absolute perfect spot as that plant is growing BIG and there are lots of flowers and pumpkins starting on it.  Here is my question . . . well, it is taking over.  It wants to cover my walkway up to my front door, is crawling up and around all the landscaping and it just seems to want to spread endlessly.  I'd like to cut the leaves back and make the plant more compact.  I don't know how big these pumpkins will get but the leaves are giant.  Can I cut it back?

[margypops]

How did your pumpkin turn out special ?

[MJIthewriter]

If you cut it back, it should allow the vine to focus more on the current pumpkin and allow it to grow larger, but you may not get new pumpkins.  I wish I knew more, but I have either deliberatly or by accident cut back squash vines and my experience wasn't very good.  They stopped growing beyond that point.  It could be I cut them back too early and they hadn't branched out.  It may be wise to do a search on pruning back pumkin and squash vines.  

Personally I think it would be better off setting up a sturdy trellis for the vine to climb than to try cutting it back.  You can use twist ties to anchor parts of the stems to the support and train the vine to climb.  This is all provided you have a long enough growing season.  Here in MN, our pumpkins and squash just may be done.  If you see frost in your forecast, you may want to find some cloth or a garbage sack and cover that pumpkin to protect it.

[margypops]

oh brother dont ask me, I was going to post something like it LOL about how I can take cuttings from biourganvillea and plant them    MJ   where are you ......