Question horrible veg. placing - halp!

[bizhat]

So I haven't quite thought this through.. (and the plants grew explosively in the high-bed, quite unlike they used to on my ****ty mother-soil).

-> I'll be making some holders for the cucumbers - kinda like the ones Mark showed on his inedible-cucumber video, however this doesnt really solve my main issue.
I've already given up on the few tomatoes, onions and ginger that I planted in between.

--> would someone have an idea how I could manage the growth of the zucchini and pumpkin space-wise; either by building additional extensions to the bed, or if it would be okay to cut off a few of those huge ass leaves - I have no idea whatesoever if that would damage the plant as a whole.

-- thanks.

 

[GKW]

I've tried zuc's twice in recent times and found that culling some of the large leaves doesn't have much of an impact on fruit growth. There's plenty of vid's on Youtube on how to prune zuc's....that said I won't be planting zuc anymore as they take up way too much space for the fruit they yield amd sucked a hellva lot of water from the raised beds. Much prefer plants in the limited raised beds I have that grow up, rather than low and out. A better use of space IMO but in the end it's personal preference based on what you want to grow,

 

[ClissAT]

They'll sort themselves out eventually. Prune off some of the oldest leaves, let the pumpkin ramble off the bed and wrap it around the bottom edge of the sides of the beds. I think you should feel elated that you've discovered how to get your soil producing. Then set your mind to reproducing what you did so you can get your summer crops in.

 

[DivingTemptress]

It's all an experiment, bizhat
and each year I regrow what works and try new things. And I figure out what I will NOT bother with again.

I tend to grow more perennials these days, will not repeat what didn't suit my palette even if it grew well. I struggle with squirrel thieves, voracious caterpillars and the ravages of summer droughts and monsoon rains, so I am thankful for the harvests God grants me and keep on growing.

Last year for example, had way more eggplant that we could eat, but only a few cucumbers. So this year I started twice as many cukes and we have so many that I need to make more pickles every week ... after giving away over a dozen this week alone ! To top it off they are smothering the passion fruit vine.

Now the eggplants are ripening just as I am starting the fall seeds. No thanks to covid, I have been waiting for seeds to be delivered till just last week, so am hoping to finally get some sweet peppers and fennel. In the last few years I have found more heat loving salad greens so every evening we harvest multiple greens. Of course the tomatoes are done, and carrots aren't ready but at least I am self sufficient in something !!!

Happy Gardening,
P J, the Dirt Diva