[jsgreen89]

Unfortunately my middle pumpkin plant, which was my strongest, went all rusty, so I cut back all the leaves to save the other plants. There was a couple of pumpkins, around 15cm in diameter still attached so I left them.

They've since started to turn orange, so should I keep them on the plant until the full change colour? Or should I just cut them off now? The plant has no leaves now so I guess it can only get nutrition and water from the soil..

Any ideas? Photo attached!

[Pompey Spud]

I'd leave them on the plant and ripen in the sun...when it shows again.

[paintedlady]

Personally I'd remove them and cure them somewhere safe such as a windowsill or greenhouse shelf rather than risk having woodlice and slugs eyeballing them.  Unless the plant grows new leaves, it is unlikely the pumpkins will get any bigger as it is the leaves that provide the food, not to mention drive the uptake of water through roots from the soil ... 

[JayG]

it is the leaves that provide the food, not to mention drive the uptake of water through roots from the soil ... 

Did you know that scientists still disagree about whether leaves "suck" or roots "pump" water through the plant (or both!)?

I find that absolutely astonishing!! 

(Probably right about harvesting the pumpkins although they are probably too hard to get attacked by garden critters by now!)