How to prune crown prince squash

Late summer (mid-August in the UK), once 2–3 fruits have set. Count 2–3 leaves past the last developing fruit on the main stem and any side shoots, then cut cleanly. Remove surplus side shoots early in the season to limit the number of fruits to those the plant can ripen fully.

Once in late summer to stop the vines; side shoot control as needed during growth. Crown Prince is a vigorous trailing squash that benefits from tip pruning in late summer. Once you have 2–3 fruits developing on each vine, remove the growing tip 2–3 leaves beyond the last fruit. This concentrates the plant's energy into swelling and ripening those fruits before the first autumn frost.

Count 2–3 leaves past the last developing fruit on the main stem and any side shoots, then cut cleanly. Remove surplus side shoots early in the season to limit the number of fruits to those the plant can ripen fully.