When to Harvest Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is one of the best known varieties of winter squash, along with acorn squash and pumpkins, and is shaped similar to a very large pear. The skin covering butternut squash is a creamy beige color, and the flesh of this winter squash is bright orange. Harvested butternut squash will taste rather sweet, with butternut squash with brighter flesh tasting sweeter. Butternut squash is an easy crop to grow, and often results in a large amount of produce when it comes time to harvest the squash, which is why this winter squash is a very popular crop for people to keep stored over the winter months.

Butternut squash grow on a vine, similar to how cucumbers grow, and one single vine can offer several butternut squash for harvesting. The average butternut squash weighs about 2 to 5 pounds, so most butternut squash are easily harvested when it comes time to pick them. Typically, butternut squash are ready to be harvested once the rind has hardened and the color of the skin has become a solid tan. The stem of butternut squash will also change in color to brown or tan when it is time to harvest the butternut squash.

Winter squash are named because of these varieties of squash, like the butternut squash, hold up well to storage over the cold winter season. The harvest time of winter squash is typically in early fall, during the later days of September or the month of October. Harvesting your butternut squash during this time will allow the rind of the butternut squash to harden more so and be able to withstand a longer time in storage. Remember, though, it is important to harvest butternut squash before frost starts to appear, as squash can be damaged by frost.

Once you discover when to pick butternut squash, you can pick the squash from their vine by using a sharpened knife. You want to cut the butternut squash from the vine so that the butternut squash still has at least 2 inches of stem left, so as not to allow bacteria into the squash. It's also important to be careful with butternut squash that have soft spots or are missing their stem, since these butternut squash will not hold up well to long term storage.

Now you know how to harvest butternut squash, a popular variety of winter squash!

You can read more of my harvesting articles here.

Sources:

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/vegetable/butternut-squash-harvest.htmhttp://www.ehow.com/how_5276747_time-pick-butternut-squash.htmlhttp://www.ehow.com/about_4690038_butternut-squash.htmlhttp://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=63