When and How to Harvest Acorn Squash
If you want a truly epic squash harvest, knowing when to pick acorn squash is essential. We share our harvest and storing tips!
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Acorn squash is one of the most versatile winter squashes. Bake it with butter and brown sugar for a sweet treat, or stuff it with apples, sausages, and mushrooms for something savory.
However you decide to experiment, you first need to know when and how to harvest acorn squash. Things like skin texture, color, and time of year all tell you your squash is ripe.
You can’t treat your acorn squash like any other winter squash. If you try to cure your winter squash in the same way as butternut squash or spaghetti squash, you will probably end up with soft, rotten vegetables.
But, when you harvest acorn squash correctly, you can enjoy acorn squash all year long. This provides plenty of opportunities to try out acorn squash soups, salad dressings, desserts, side dishes, and main courses.
When to Harvest Acorn Squash
Harvest time for acorn squash varies depending on your selected variety. Most acorn squash varieties ripen 80-100 days after planting. You can get a more specific date if you look at the “days to full maturity” or “days to harvest” on your seed packets.
Harvest your winter squash before the first heavy frost. They are frost-sensitive, so estimate to harvest acorn squash around September or October.
The plant itself will start to change appearance at harvest time. Don’t pay too much attention to size when harvesting acorn squash. Unripe squash reach full size pretty early in the season.
Acorn squash is typically green with a pale yellow spot where the squash is facing the ground. On a ripe acorn squash, that spot should turn from yellow to a deep orange color. If the whole squash is orange, you have waited too long.
Some varieties turn entirely orange when ripe, so disregard this. If this is the case, it should specify on your seed package. The acorn squash vines and stem will also have turned slightly brown and dried up when the squash is ripe.
Ripe acorn squash also has a different skin texture. Acorn squash is ripe when it has developed tough skin. The easiest way to test is to press your fingernail into the skin of the squash gently. If the squash has soft skin and penetrates easily, you still have an immature acorn squash. If your fingernail can only scratch the rind, or you have to press hard to break it, it’s time for you to harvest acorn squash!
How To Harvest Acorn Squash
When harvesting acorn squash, you will need a sharp knife or clippers. You can try breaking it off of the vine, but we recommend cutting it to make sure you don’t damage the stem.
Whatever you do, do not yank the acorn squash from the vines. This can damage unripe squash you haven’t harvested yet. While twisting it free will work for summer squash varieties, it’s essential to harvest acorn squash in a way that does not damage the stem.
When making your cut, leave at least an inch of the stem on your ripe acorn squash. You can leave up to five inches if you want, but make sure it’s somewhere in that range. Leaving a bit of stem helps the acorn squash lock in moisture. Failure to do so can damage your fruit and even cause early decay.
Curing
Any acorn squashes with soft spots or signs of damage on the rind need to be eaten immediately because they will not store for longer periods like the others.
Like other winter squashes, acorn squash needs to be cured in a cool, dry place. Although your acorn squash is ripe and has developed tough skin, do not stack winter squash on top of each other. Doing so could create soft spots and ruin your squash fruit texture.
Ripe acorn squash will not keep if cured improperly, and rot can spread if they have been stacked. Instead, place them in rows or layers. Cure acorn squash where the temperature is between 50-55°F. Any more or less could damage the squash. Rotate the squash a quarter each day for two weeks to ensure the stem has dried thoroughly and the rind has developed a tough skin.
How To Store Acorn Squash
Similar to the curing process, do not stack your acorn squash. If that isn’t possible, only stack acorn squash two squash deep after they have been cured. Acorn squash will keep in dry areas for 1-2 months.
If you want to store acorn squash for longer than a couple of months, freezing it is the best way to preserve it. For frozen acorn squash to last up to 12 months, it must be cooked beforehand. First, cut both ends off your acorn squash, then remove the seeds and soft fibrous flesh in the center. Cut the fruit away from the skin and cube it. Then you can cook your acorn squash however you like, whether steamed, baked, boiled, or in a pressure cooker.
Once the acorn squash fruit texture has softened up, there are a few ways to store it. If you want to keep the squash cubed, place it on a cooking tray and freeze it. Once frozen, store the acorn squash fruit in an air-tight freezer-safe bag or container and enjoy for up to 12 months. Acorn squash can also be mashed or pureed before storing and last just as long.
Cooked and refrigerated acorn squash will last about four days before going bad.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you tell if acorn squash is good?
It’s time to harvest acorn squash when the skin is dull and firm. The acorn squash plant is ripe when the yellow spot on your squash should turn orange, and the stem should be brown and dry. A glossy skin means you have immature acorn squash, and a mostly orange acorn squash usually means it has been on the vine too long. The best way to tell if you should be harvesting acorn squash is to do the fingernail test to see how firm the skin is.
Will acorn squash ripen off the vine?
Yes! It should be mostly ripened when you harvest it, but it will continue to ripen off the vine. Make sure to attach 1-5 inches of the stem to lock in moisture and protect your acorn squash.
Can you eat immature acorn squash?
Yes. Eating acorn squash that isn’t quite ripe yet is perfectly safe. Immature acorn squash will not store, though, so you have to eat it within a couple of days of picking it.
Is acorn squash still good if it turns orange?
Acorn squash that has turned orange is overripe. It’s still edible, but it may not be at peak flavor, and the flesh may be below standard. Orange acorn squash also spoils more rapidly, so you’ll need to use it quickly to ensure it doesn’t start to rot.
