There are a couple of reasons I can think have for why your pumpkins have heavy scrape marks. The first is lack of water; pumpkins are water hogs because about 90% of the pumpkin is actually water. Another is lack of nutrients; since they grew in the same place last year they may have depleted the soil in that spot. Third is that some disease has actually attacked; pumpkins are subject to a number of foliar problems which cause the leaves to shrivel; finally, perhaps you are growing an extra-early-maturing variety. (The normal range is 90 to 120 days with the approximate timing listed on the seed package or label.) In any case, leave them on the vine as long as possible and do your best to cure them as well as you can to try to increase their storage time; depending on the variety and curing and storage conditions, some can be held for up to a year.

here's a chili recipe that i use.very tasty with cornbread and tea...Prep Time: 0 hours, 15 minutes Cook Time: 3 hours, 00 minutes Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef 1 29-ounce can of tomato sauce 1 29-ounce can of kidney beans 1 29-ounce can of pinto beans 1 diced green pepper 1 diced medium onion 1/2 cup diced mild green chiles 1 to 6 diced jalapeno peppers (if heat desired) 1 29-ounce can diced tomatoes or 3 chopped medium tomatoes 2 teaspoons cumin powder 3 tablespoons chili powder 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons salt Preparation: 1. Brown the beef in skillet or microwave and drain off the fat. 2. Combine all of the ingredients in a crockpot. 3. Cook on low for 3-10 hours. 4. Leftovers can be frozen and kept for months. 5. Makes 12 servings, approximately 1 cup each.

but pumpkins are the most fun to grow of all (why is that???) ==>> they speak to your inner child ... i agree with all your thoughts on grass .. just pointing out an issue... its for OP ... or her lawn warrior as to what to do ... my mom.. used to give the kids gourds she bought for fall decoration .. they took them all over the 5 acres ... they were eventually abandon as winter came.. by spring.. many were like maracas ... so seed got spread EVERYWHERE [they were growing in my conifer beds.. hosta beds.. raspberry beds.. i mean everywhere] ... when they grew into the mowing area... i just ran them over with the mower.. that surely didnt phase them ... and they sprouted and grew off in another direction ... and dont forget.. with Ps ... the less you have on the vine.. the bigger they will get ... it is not uncommon.. when growing for size.. subject to the variety ... that many are removed.. to improve the few ... ken

Yes, pick all but one or two from the vine. Pick the ones that were large on the blossom and appear to be growing fast. Full sunlight is important but not much you can do about that now. Here's the thing, you want to get as much water and nutrients into that plant as possible. That doesn't mean overfertilizing it or swamping it with water. It means providing moist, fertile ground under *all* of the vines' lengths. They grow roots at the bottom of each leaf node. Sinking their roots in there gives them the ability to draw the "strength" they need from the ground. A pumpkin plant with roots only at the main stem will never achieve its potential. If it wilts, even on a hot day, it doesn't have enough roots in the ground. Of if it does, it's too dry. Wilting means the plant is struggling to nourish itself. Yes, it will recover, but it's being stressed. The wider the plant roams and the more roots it can lay into fertile ground, the bigger it will get and the bigger the pumpkin it will produce.