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The best time to pick sweet meat squash is when the rind has fully hardened and turned a deep, creamy tan color.
If you’re wondering when to pick sweet meat squash, the answer really comes down to a few visual and tactile clues that tell you it’s ready.
Sweet meat squash is a winter squash variety known for its sweet, dense orange flesh, and it’s ready for harvest in late summer to early fall.
Picking sweet meat squash at the right moment makes all the difference between a bland, watery squash and a rich, sugary one that stores for months.
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly when to pick sweet meat squash, how to tell it’s ripe, and how to harvest and store it properly.
When to Pick Sweet Meat Squash
Knowing when to pick sweet meat squash starts with understanding its growth cycle.
Sweet meat squash typically matures about 95 to 110 days after planting, depending on your climate and growing conditions.
So if you planted your sweet meat squash in late spring, you can expect to pick sweet meat squash sometime between late August and early October.
1. The Rind Tells You It’s Time To Pick Sweet Meat Squash
The most reliable sign of when to pick sweet meat squash is the color and texture of its rind.
When sweet meat squash is immature, the skin looks pale green or grayish and feels soft enough that you can dent it with a fingernail.
As it ripens, the rind turns a creamy tan or soft peach color, and it hardens like armor.
Try pressing your thumbnail into the skin, and if it leaves no mark, that’s your green light to pick sweet meat squash.
2. The Vine Starts Dying Back
Another natural cue for when to pick sweet meat squash is what happens to the vine itself.
As sweet meat squash ripens, the vine begins to yellow, wither, and dry out near the fruit.
This doesn’t mean your plant is dying for no reason; it’s simply redirecting all its remaining energy into finishing the squash.
When the vine near the squash looks dry and the tendril closest to the stem has turned brown and shriveled, it’s time to pick sweet meat squash.
3. The Stem Gets Corky And Dry
The stem is one of the best indicators of when to pick sweet meat squash.
On an unripe squash, the stem is green, moist, and firmly attached.
As sweet meat squash matures, that stem dries out, turns brown, and develops a corky texture.
If you’re ever unsure about when to pick sweet meat squash, check the stem first because a dry, woody stem almost always means it’s ready.
4. The Squash Feels Heavy For Its Size
Weight is another helpful clue for when to pick sweet meat squash.
A ripe sweet meat squash feels surprisingly heavy when you lift it, because all that water has been converted into dense, sugary flesh.
If your sweet meat squash feels light or hollow, it probably needs more time on the vine.
How To Harvest Sweet Meat Squash The Right Way
Once you’ve decided when to pick sweet meat squash, the harvest itself matters just as much as the timing.
1. Cut, Don’t Pull
When you pick sweet meat squash, always use a sharp pair of pruning shears or a sturdy knife.
Leave about two to three inches of stem attached to the squash, because that stem helps it cure and store better.
Never yank or twist the sweet meat squash off the vine, as that can tear the stem and open the door to rot.
2. Cure The Squash Before Storing
After you pick sweet meat squash, don’t rush it into storage right away.
Let your sweet meat squash sit in a warm, dry spot with good airflow for about ten to fourteen days.
This curing process hardens the skin further and helps the flavor deepen, so when you finally cut into your sweet meat squash, it tastes even sweeter.
3. Store It Somewhere Cool And Dry
Once cured, sweet meat squash stores beautifully for three to six months in a cool, dry place.
Keep your sweet meat squash away from dampness and freezing temperatures, since both can ruin the texture.
The longer you wait to eat it, the sweeter your sweet meat squash tends to become, which is why so many gardeners love growing it.
So, When To Pick Sweet Meat Squash?
You should pick sweet meat squash when the rind has hardened to a creamy tan color, the stem has turned dry and corky, and the vine near the fruit has started to wither.
If you follow those signs, you’ll pick sweet meat squash at peak ripeness every single time.
And once you cure and store your sweet meat squash properly, you’ll be enjoying its sweet, rich flesh well into winter.