There is always someone who will ignore what is said
but hey thats why I am a punk!
I have two plants on the go, I leave them to grow and grow and grow and grow, the last count I had nine squash on the go that are maturing nicely (remember I live in tropical Blackpool).
In all the years I have grown them I have never done anything but train the runners in the direction I want them to go.
I do a lot of prep, the planting hole is 2 feet by 2 feet deep, full of good rotten manure and then as they are growing I feed, feed and feed them, I think Monty said "you cannot over feed squash"
They will knock off fruit themselves and put the energy into those that are maturing, I would say my average crop is around 13 off two plants.