Hi Maureen. Me again. A friend once pulled the big leaves off his pumpkins and swore by it. The following year he mentioned something about it and I asked if he was still doing it. He said that he wasn't because his pumpkins had been small and not good the year before. He had found out that they need the leaves to make good fruit. Others may well disagree. You know that you can get bush zuccini that are more compact. This is what I plant now. I am planting mine in tyres with earth in them . What is funny is that I have JUST planted mine two days ago. That is how late we have to plant tomatoes, Zucc, eggplant etc in the hope they won't get done by the frosts!!! Of course yesterday was 39.6deg here so everything wilted but the rain today has helped. However it is 12deg already tonight!! I always plant mine away from other stuff because they are quite big feeders so they like a lot of poo, etc. I use sheep dags around them as mulch and add chook poo a few times. But as yet mine are sitting still getting over transplant shock of nearly 40deg their first day out!!! How big is your vegie garden?? Cheers, Pam