[AdrianH]

Managed to grow a Squash plant (Crown Prince) for the first time this year. It took a while to get going but finally pollinated towards the end of August.

I've now got a single crown prince on the plant that is about 8" in diameter.

When should I look at harvesting (I presume before the frosts - so really end of October at the latest) and should it be ripe when i harvest it, or will it ripen once harvested e.g. if left in the conservatory?

[realfood]

Crown Prince is one of the blue/green squashes and does not turn slightly orange until it has been in store for many months.
Pick it when the plant dies down or before the frosts.

[sunshineband]

When they stalk is dry, then is the best time to pick it, but if the frosts come first, cut off the stalk leaving a T shaped piece ie the stalk plus a bit of the actual vine stem as well.

You can keep it somewhere warm indoors for the skin to 'cure' ie go reallt hard, and then store it somewhere cool and it will keep for ages.

Hope all that helps 

[AdrianH]

Thanks both. Its still green at the moment with no hint of blue, so I'll leave it on the plant as long as possible, but will look at for frosts.

Cheers

[realfood]

I would describe it as greeny blue.

[JohnB47]

AdrianH - if you update your profile to say what part of the country you are in, we can give a better educated answer to your questions.

I live in East Devon and my two Crown Prince plants are fairly well withered now, so I'll be bringing my squash in tomorrow. The squash have looked the same bluey green colour for weeks. Only managed one per plant this year - very poor compared to last year (3 per plant) but then I didn't get anything this year either from two Hoochy Coochy (or whatever) and two butternut plants.

Cheers.