Kitchen Garden Forum

Are they best left till frost is forecasted or bring them into the greenhouse now. I have a good crop so today I lifted 6 as they were big enough for my liking and put them in the greenhouse.
I have removed alot of the leaved and popped some leaves under the fruit.

Winter squash are best left until the leaves are killed by the first frost, then promptly put somewhere (relatively frost free) and sunny to cure the skin and sweeten the flesh.

Cut too early they will neither ripen nor keep as they will be "insubstantial" sappy and akin to pith rather than solid hard flesh.

I usually do as Peter says. Has the advantage you can find them without a machete.

I haven't grown any for a few years but I remember waiting until you didn't have to cut the stem but just lift the fruit and it came away from an almost leaf-less stem. They are best matured 'on the vine'.

I ended up the only one in the house who likes them so I gave up bothering with them. Butternut and red pepper soup is great but there's only so much a girl can eat!!

In an ideal season, the squash vine should die down of its own accord before it is reduced by frost. But it is seldom we experience a summer long and warm enough for long enough. Unless you are growing summer squash (fruits akin to marrows, eaten fresh), they should for sure be left on the vine for as long as possible to develop fully their skin for storage, and for the flesh within to develop its character.

Hello Bren
Summer squashes should be picked and eaten when young rather like courgettes. Old and large S squash are not worth bothering with. Winter squashes are the ones that need to dry and cure as others have suggested. A good point to look at is the short stem connecting it to the vine. Once it loses its green colour and goes woody then the fruit is mature enough for cutting.

John

As said above, leave till leaves have died down. Last year was a difficult one and I ripened them off in the greenhouse.

Thank you all for your replies, I'm pleased I only took 6 into the greenhouse I still have plenty to harvest when they are ripe/cured they are winter ones. Thanks Peter for explaining the reason for leaving them on the vine.

Bren