It’s true, the skin color is tempting, though deceptive, because skin color often turns the color of maturity 4+ weeks before maturity is reached— though honeynut, with her built-in ripeness indicator below, is a fabulous exception! She is finally ripe once all the green has turned a deep pumpkin-y caramel color.
Most winter squash skins turn the color of edible maturity well before they are ripe, though honeynut is a marvelous exception, only fully ripe when all green streaks have disappeared.
Butternut squash is a popular winter squash grown by home gardeners across North America. Its sweet, nutty flesh is perfect for soups, roasting, baking, and more. But to get the best quality butternut squash, it’s important to harvest at just the right time. When is the ideal window for picking butternut squash in cooler growing zones like zone 5?
Overview of Butternut Squash
Butternut squash are one of the most beloved winter squash varieties. They produce large vines with big leaves and beautiful yellow flowers. The fruits are tan, pear-shaped squash that weigh 4-5 pounds at maturity.
Butternut squash thrive in zones 3-10. Gardeners in cooler areas like zone 5 need to pay close attention to timing their harvests before frost threatens. Butternut squash take 95-100 days to reach full size.
Determining Ripeness
It’s crucial to harvest butternut squash at peak ripeness for the best flavor, texture, and storage life. Here are the signs mature butternuts are ready for picking:
- Rind is tan and cannot be dented with a fingernail
- Ground spot is cream/yellow instead of white or green
- Stems near the fruit are shriveled and brown
- Squash weighs 4-5 pounds on average
- Resists pressure when squeezed
- Deep, hollow sound when thumped
Monitor your squash closely as they near maturity and watch for these indicators of ripeness before harvesting
Optimal Butternut Squash Harvest Time in Zone 5
Gardeners in zone 5 need to time their harvests based on first fall frost dates
- Zone 5 fall frost range: September 21 – October 15
- Days to maturity for butternut: 95-100 days
Given these factors, the ideal harvest window for butternut squash in zone 5 is:
- Mid/Late September – Early October
It’s best to pick most squash before your zone’s average first fall frost. This gives them time to finish ripening fully on the vine.
Start checking your butternuts carefully in mid-September. Temperatures may still be warm, but a cold snap can happen anytime. Monitor butternuts closely through September.
Aim to harvest all mature squash by early October at the latest. Leaving ripe squash past your first frost is risky. Even light freezes can damage squash and shorten their storage.
For zone 5, stick to harvesting between mid-September and early October to get your squash at peak ripeness before frost hits.
What if Frost Comes Early?
Frosts are unpredictable. If cold threatens early, you may need to pick some unripe butternut squash before full maturity.
While best flavor comes at full ripeness, butternuts can still be harvested prematurely if frost looms.
Signs a squash needs more time but should be picked due to frost risk:
- Paler, splotchy skin with green patches
- Rind can be dented with a fingernail
- Weighs under 4 pounds
- Dull thump when tapped
These less-ripe butternuts won’t store as long or taste quite as sweet. But it’s better than losing your harvest to frost damage!
Storing Butternut Squash After Harvest
Proper storage preserves flavor and extends shelf life of ripe butternut squash. Here are tips:
- Cure squash at 80-85°F and 80-85% humidity for 1-2 weeks to harden rinds.
- Store cured squash at 55-60°F with good ventilation.
- Avoid stacking more than 2 high to prevent rotting.
- Keep as cool and dry as possible.
- Remove any damaged or rotting squash promptly.
Properly cured and stored butternut squash will keep for 3-6 months in zone 5.
Start Harvesting Butternuts in Zone 5
Use this guide on identifying ripeness and timing your harvests in zone 5 to look forward to a bountiful, sweet butternut squash crop. Monitor your patch closely as frost season nears. Prioritize harvesting squash showing classic signs of maturity.
Be ready to pick any remaining young squash before they get zapped by an early cold snap. Enjoy your homegrown butternut bounty all winter after a successful harvest!
When to Harvest Winter Squash
Winter squash require ~60 days from pollinated flower to ripe, mature fruit, so here in Zone 5, waiting til mid-September is just a safe bet at the earliest.
We wait as long as possible before frost because, even with powdery mildew often drenching the plants (as below), if there is any green in the leaves & stems that means sugars are being photosynthesized & sent into each fruit.
(Briefly, the best way to prevent powdery mildew is to sow seeds naturally resistant to it, like Cornell’s Bush Delicata, Honeynut and Gouda (a delectable refinement of Long Island Cheese pumpkin!), all the gifts of Cornell’s public plant breeders.)
If there is any green in the leaves, even if they’re covered in powdery mildew, keep the fruit on the vine: incredibly, they’ll continue to ripen, deepening in flavor & in storage capacity.
Once your plants are quite thoroughly dead and/or it’s about to frost, we harvest each fruit by snipping each stem 1″ from the fruit, handling them carefully, as if they were marvelously large easter eggs, which I suppose they are!
Harvest all winter squash with snips rather than pulling them from the vine, leaving 1″ of the stem & handling them as delicate eggs. This is Brulee, by the way!
If you’re not able to harvest them before frost, throw old sheets or floating row cover over your fruit to prevent frost from forming on their skin. Frost damages winter squash skin, preventing it from curing which prevents it from storing. Frosted squash is still delicious, just be sure to enjoy it as soon as possible, ideally within one month of frost, with plenty of garlic (if you’re anything like us!). This is true if the stem happens to snap off your fruit or if the skin is punctured even a little, as well.
When to Harvest Butternut Squash: The Perfect Survival Crop!
FAQ
Can you leave butternut squash on the vine too long?
Fruit left on the vine after the stem begins to cork will have no better quality or storage life than fruit that is harvested at this stage, and it may be …Sep 7, 2023
What happens if you pick butternut squash too early?
If the seeds aren’t fully mature when harvested, they steal nutrients from the flesh. This is why making sure butternut squash are fully ripened before they are picked.
What is the harvest period for butternut squash?
Butternut squash is typically harvested at the end of the growing season when the vines start to dry up and brown. This is usually late September or early October before frost. Do not allow squash to be out in a frost as this will cause rapid breakdown and you will be unable to enjoy your bounty.