I usually let mine go until a darker tan color overall, and hard skin, plus the stem is going brown. It’s hard to wait, but I rarely have trouble letting mine sit there “too long” unless the deer start bothering them
ZafakD
If you want it to have the longest storage life, wait until the stem connecting it to the vine is brown.
oldaliumfarmer
Yes but it’s not going to get overripe.they are storage vegetables.
Birdface3000
Nope. First the skin turns orange then wait for the stem to turn brown. Then begins the weeks to months long curing process or it won’t be sweet
djazzie
Nope, you have a far way to go. It should get more pale orange on the outside and the stem will dry out. That’s usually when you pick it.
spaetzlechick
Nowhere near ripe. It needs to get a deep taupe and the skin toughens. Enough that you can push a fingernail into it. The stem will be withering and brown.
kennedon
Since folks are chatting here… once a butternut has gone deep tan, is it ready for immediate eating if storage isn’t a question? In other words, can you skip the “vine turns brown” stage once it’s a normal colour if you’re consuming immediately, or will it be subpar for not ripening longer?
Battle-Gardener
It looks a lot like the ones in the stores, so based on this photo I would say so.
Chroney
No, its not ready until the stem is dry/dead, the green veins are gone, and the rind is a darker more solid tan without variation like you see in the image – but always pick before the frost (even if green) as it will kill the fruit and ruin the squash. If you leave it inside in a windowsill it will cure/ripen (or should).
Rightbuthumble
Thelonger you wait the longer you can keep it. We wait…then when we finally pick them, they harden up and we have them all winter. Same with acorn squash.
ThanksOk5783
Mine is even smaller then that and I have about 30 days before frost. What happens when they are under ripe?
I picked mine like this and saw I could put it in the window in a warm spot and rotate for a couple weeks. Or should I just eat it this week?! Or is it trash?
14 Comments
I usually let mine go until a darker tan color overall, and hard skin, plus the stem is going brown. It’s hard to wait, but I rarely have trouble letting mine sit there “too long” unless the deer start bothering them
If you want it to have the longest storage life, wait until the stem connecting it to the vine is brown.
Yes but it’s not going to get overripe.they are storage vegetables.
Nope. First the skin turns orange then wait for the stem to turn brown. Then begins the weeks to months long curing process or it won’t be sweet
Nope, you have a far way to go. It should get more pale orange on the outside and the stem will dry out. That’s usually when you pick it.
Nowhere near ripe. It needs to get a deep taupe and the skin toughens. Enough that you can push a fingernail into it. The stem will be withering and brown.
Since folks are chatting here… once a butternut has gone deep tan, is it ready for immediate eating if storage isn’t a question? In other words, can you skip the “vine turns brown” stage once it’s a normal colour if you’re consuming immediately, or will it be subpar for not ripening longer?
It looks a lot like the ones in the stores, so based on this photo I would say so.
No, its not ready until the stem is dry/dead, the green veins are gone, and the rind is a darker more solid tan without variation like you see in the image – but always pick before the frost (even if green) as it will kill the fruit and ruin the squash. If you leave it inside in a windowsill it will cure/ripen (or should).
Thelonger you wait the longer you can keep it. We wait…then when we finally pick them, they harden up and we have them all winter. Same with acorn squash.
Mine is even smaller then that and I have about 30 days before frost. What happens when they are under ripe?
https://preview.redd.it/rljlv0li11of1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ce83752d5cf266fb11cfa13322e4c1032718990
I have 2 that are still green! 😭
Nope
I picked mine like this and saw I could put it in the window in a warm spot and rotate for a couple weeks. Or should I just eat it this week?! Or is it trash?