When are my squash ripe?

[firstofficerspong]

Hello All,
I have 3 or 4 varieties of winter squash in the plot which are doing fairly well.
How do I know when they are ready to pick? The foliage on the Uchiki kuri is looking a bit under the weather now with lots of mildew but the others are still growing strongly it seems.

Thanks for your advice
John

[firstofficerspong]

[galina]

Leave them for as long as you can.  Mildewed foliage still helps put goodness into ripening squash and any sunshine helps ripen them further.  They only have to come in when frost threatens.

Uckiki Kuri and other winter squash then benefit from a further storing time in the sun, on sunny windowsills or in the conservatory or on the greenhouse bench (if you can guarantee no frost in the GH).  This is to develop their best flavour. And if you are saving seeds to mature the seeds.  This is also called 'curing' squash.


 

[tricia]

Leave on the vines as long as you can!  The longer they ripen on the vines the longer they will store for winter use. I always wait until most of the foliage has died back - I used my last butternut from last year in July!! Make sure you cure your squashes on a warm window sill for a week or two before storing cool and frost free.

Tricia 

[johhnyco15]

picked these yesterday butternut is just about ripe however another week on the vine would be perfect

[firstofficerspong]

Brilliant. Thank you for your swift responses. I will leave them alone for now then. I'd hope not to see a frost down here in South Devon for a while yet!