Butternut squash and seedless watermelon production questions

[SydneyGee]

Hello,

I have two butternut squash plants that have one large squash on each plant. The bigger of the two plants has a much smaller fruit that has begun to grow as well. I read that these plants typically only produce 2-3 fruit per plant. Should I be pinching off any extra flowers and fruit to let the two grow? Should I allow more fruits to grow on the plant with only one fruit so far?

Same goes with my seedless watermelons. The plants have about 4 small (marble sized) melons on each vine with a total of 3 vines per plant. Should I let them grow to a certain size then pinch off the smallest? How many fruits per vine should I allow to grow?

 

[ReslerMomma]

That is interesting to me about the butternut squash. I have heard of people punching off pumpkin blooms to get a bigger pumpkin so I suppose it does make sense! I'm sorry I couldn't be more help.

 

[SydneyGee]

Update; one of the plants that had the smaller squash starting developed a black rot on the fruit and it died. This is the fifth or sixth time that a second smaller squash has started very well, then rotted and died.

I am confused as the two larger squash seem to be doing just fine...