Keeping Winter Squash on the Vine vs. Harvesting

[wisconsindead]

Hey guys,

I have some Acorn, Butternut and Jester (delicata) squash that are ripe and ready to pick, but I wonder if I should leave them on the vine. The plants are dying off, but are not totally dead. What I wonder is if the fruit get sweeter/better the longer I leave them on the vine and additionally if they will ultimately store longer the longer I leave them on the vine. We still have a few weeks before the first frost I would guess, so I have some time left. But I want to know if I should just harvest them as they are ready or let them hang for as long as possible.

Thanks!

[jal_ut]

You say, "ripe and ready to pick", I would pick them.

[applestar]

Have you tried the thumbnail test? If you are sure they are fully mature, then I agree — I would harvest them.

There are other factors that you need to consider —

- If you get squash vine borers and they are still around, acorn and delicate are susceptible, and they will bore into the fruit if the rind is still soft enough. Other squash pests like squash bugs and stink bugs, as well as unexpected pests like scale insects will also latch onto the rind.
- Slugs and cutworms would do their best to scrape wounds and then rollypollies and earwigs, crickets, will all join in.
- In my garden, 4 legged marauders like groundHOG can drop in out of the blue (as it so happened yesterday - and ate my two remaining cabbages ) Gnawing pesky chipmunks, squirrels, voles, etc.
- if there are wet cool days and nights, the fruits might get moldy.

[!potatoes!]

if they're ripe and the vines are dying, I'd harvest. they'll get sweeter from proper curing, and if truly fully ripe, will likely store as long a they would if left for a couple weeks.

[wisconsindead]

Excellent, thanks all. I will harvest today.

[jal_ut]

Yes, the critters may also decide to eat them. I have had all sorts of critters get after them. I say, when they are ripe, best to pick them and take them in to protect them from the critters. I often take cardboard and put under the squash and pumpkins to keep the bugs from eating them from underneath. And as I do this I turn the pumpkins so they will sit on the bottom and become round instead of lying on their side and becoming lopsided. Whatever you decide, have fun!