When to Harvest Squash: Summer, Acorn, and Butternut
Pick summer squash while tender. Harvest winter squash at mature color when the rind resists a fingernail and the stem is hard and dry.
Published · Reviewed by ThriveThyme
squash harvest butternut acorn
When to Harvest Squash
Summer squash (zucchini and yellow squash) is ready 45 to 55 days after planting, when fruit is 6 to 8 inches long and the skin is still tender. Winter squash such as acorn and butternut takes 80 to 110 days. Harvest winter squash when the rind is hard, the stem is corky and dry, and the fruit has full variety color.
Pick summer squash often. Fruit left to balloon steals energy from the next flush. See squash by zone, acorn squash, butternut squash, and the squash plant page.
Summer Squash
- Yellow squash and zucchini: harvest at 6 to 8 inches. Skin should puncture with a fingernail.
- Pattypan: harvest at 2 to 4 inches across.
- Check plants every day in hot weather. Fruit can double in a day.
- Cut with a knife. Twisting can break the brittle stem.
Giant summer squash are edible but seedy. Compost them or feed them to chickens unless you want seed.
Acorn Squash
Acorn squash is ready about 80 to 90 days after planting. The green (or white) rind is dull, the orange ground spot is well colored, and a fingernail does not easily dent the skin. Leave 1 to 2 inches of stem. Do not carry fruit by the stem.
Butternut Squash
Butternut is ready about 90 to 110 days after planting, when the whole rind is a solid tan with no green streaks and the stem is dry. Cure in a warm, dry spot (about 80 F) for 7 to 10 days, then store around 50 to 55 F. Cured butternut keeps for months.
Honeynut and Crown Prince Squash
- Honeynut: Harvest when the rind is a deep, even tan to orange with no green streaks, the stem is dry and corky, and the skin resists a fingernail. Check the variety's maturity estimate because fruit size alone is not a ripeness test.
- Crown Prince: Harvest when the rind has reached its mature blue-gray color, the stem is hard and corky, and the rind resists a fingernail. As a long-season winter squash, it must reach full maturity before frost for dependable storage.
Is It Too Late to Plant Squash?
In zone 7 and warmer, a short-season summer squash planted in early August can still produce before frost. Butternut and acorn usually cannot, except in zones 9 and warmer. If winter squash vines are still green in August, keep watering and harvest before the first hard frost.
Next Steps
Pick summer squash daily. For winter squash, test the rind and harvest before frost, then cure. Empty summer beds can take fall lettuce or garlic.