If you’re growing pumpkins for Hallowe’en then it’s a really good idea to pinch off the growing tips of the vines to leave just 2 or 3 fruits growing. Use secateurs as the vines are usually quite bristly. Take a careful look at your plant, making sure you can see clearly where the roots are. Follow each vine along until you see where all the fruits are. Choose 2 or 3 fruits to keep, and cut the vines off a few centimetres beyond those fruit.
Pop a handful of straw underneath the fruits so that they are not sitting on soggy soil. This will prevent them from rotting.
Keep an eye on your fruits as they grow – you may need to add more straw beneath them. It’s also a good idea to cut off excess foliage, and make sure that the leaves surrounding the fruits are removed to allow sunlight through. This will help the pumpkins to ripen.