[Floody]

Hi, first time growing butternut squash and from what I've read it's important I get them harvested before the first frost - but with that in mind I also read if I harvest them when they have a bit of green on the skins they won't taste very nice and they won't store well.  So the problem is this:

ALL of my b'nut squash have traces of green at the top (where the stalk meets the fruit) so on the one hand I'm thinking that I should leave them in the ground but on the other hand it's been a bit nippy around here the last couple of mornings to the point where it wouldn't surprise me if we had a bit of frost?

Am I reading too much into this 'green' lark - is the writer referring to squash that have loads of green bits on the skin rather than just a tiny bit?

Am I over thinking it?

So, what to do?  Harvest now or wait a bit?  What would you do??? 

[Elm street]

Ours are already harvested and in the conservatory. A few had the slight green at the stump end but they have now
Changed colour and are the same as the ones that were harvested with no green on them!

[ghost61]

Same here.  I also have a green spaghetti squash in the greenhouse as it came off the plant accidently. I think the thing about any squash being green is that they don't taste as sweet as they would if fully ripe.  If yours have a touch of green, I wouldn't be concerned and would harvest them now.

[Baldy]

Yup - get 'em in

Cheers,
Balders

[Kristen]

I harvested mine last week, I normally reckon on middle of October - provided frost has not threatened - as by then the foliage is all going yellow and shutting-up-shop.

I cut a decent "T-bar" of stem to save with the fruit, which it can then suck up the goodness from (but don't carry them by that as it might not be strong enough!) and I lay them in the conservatory to "cure" for a week or two before storing them.

[strangerachael]

I actually prefer the taste and texture of them when they are slightly under-ripe. Give the greenish ones a try, it's all a matter of taste. But as the others have said, they will continue to ripen once cut anyway.