Should I cut off the dead leaves or vines of a zucchini plant?

Once the leaves or stems of a zucchini plant become dead and brown, cut them off. It is also important to prune zucchini plants. Cut the new tips off near growing fruit to allow the zucchini to grow at a more rapid pace.

Leaves of a zucchini plant that are becoming large should also be trimmed, as they block sunlight to the fruit. Do not cut all of the leaves, but do cut off the leaves that are too large. Pruning may need to be done early if there are browning leaves before the plant has reached maturity. Instead of pulling zucchini from the vine, either snip it or twist it until it snaps off. Do not cut the stems unless they are completely dead.