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How to Know When Butternut Squash Is Ready to Pick
How to Know When Butternut Squash Is Ready to Pick. Sweet, orange butternut squash is delicious used in baked goods or soups, or baked and served hot with a bit of butter and maple syrup or brown sugar. Butternut squash is a winter squash, planted in summer and harvested when the squash is mature and the outer rind is hard, unlike summer squash...
Sweet, orange butternut squash is delicious used in baked goods or soups, or baked and served hot with a bit of butter and maple syrup or brown sugar. Butternut squash is a winter squash, planted in summer and harvested when the squash is mature and the outer rind is hard, unlike summer squash that is harvested when the outer rind is tender. When butternut squash is harvested at the right time, it can be stored in a cool, dry place and used through the winter holidays and beyond.
Check butternut squash for ripeness in September or October before the first hard frost of the season. Test the squash to be sure the rind is hard, and can't be punctured with your fingernail.
Harvest butternut squash when the squash turns a deep, uniformly tan color. The spot where the squash touches the ground should turn from yellow to orange.
Look at the overall appearance of the squash. The outer covering should be dull and not shiny.
Tips & Warnings
Cut the squash from vines, leaving 2 to 3 inches of stem intact. Use the squash immediately if the stem is knocked off, if the squash is bruised or damaged, or if the squash is nipped by frost. Once butternut squash is injured, it spoils quickly.
Store butternut squash in a cool, dry room, in temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Store the squash in a single layer to allow air circulation and avoid rot.
