Questions about Acorn Squashes
August 10th, 2006 at 12:42 am ()
Ok, so when is an Acorn Squash ripe? I have about a million of them, and they are all white or very very light green. Most of them are still small though. Someone said its ripe when it is dark green…but this one in the picture is bigger than a cantalope and it is still white. Maybe a different kind of acorn squash it is? Perhaps a white one, maybe? Should I pick it? No-one in my family even knows what an acorn squash is, so they are no help…
help?
michelle said,
August 10, 2006 at 1:50 pm
Acorn squash can be either yellow-orange or dark green when ripe. I’m pretty sure a white one is under ripe. Make sure that the skin is hard and dry and that the seeds rattle befor picking. The “neck” and the tendrils around the base will start to whither when it is ready to pick as well. Those guys won’t get ripe until the weather cools down.
I hope that helps!
Amy said,
August 10, 2006 at 8:40 pm
thanks!
Andrea said,
August 11, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Hi Amy,
I have grown butternut squash for the last couple of years and I think it ripens at the same rate as acorn squash. They are both winter squash you see. And oh man, does it take a long time before my butternut squash is ripe! So I’m just enjoying all my tomatoes at the moment!
Becky said,
August 14, 2006 at 10:37 pm
My Mom always use to make acorn squash and it was always a dark green and had maybe a yellow color as well but I think for sure its a fall/winter food. so its not ready yet.
bob bride said,
August 23, 2006 at 12:02 pm
I live in south Florida…and many of the fruits and (especially) the vegetables sit on the counter and dare to buy them….but I don’t know how to cook them even though they have names, like Jicima. How can I find out more about them and their preparation?
michelle said,
September 6, 2006 at 5:10 pm
Bob:
Here is a great website from Texas A&M (aka The Aggies). It tells you all about a ton of veggies, fruits and herbs, including some tips for prepration:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/vegetables/veg.html
susan shimm said,
July 14, 2007 at 4:50 pm
hi, amy … it’s me, susan! you can actually eat acorn squash when they are very small, as big as a golf ball. pick it, clean it, slice it and steam it. they are as sweet as can be. most people wait until they are hard and very mature, but I like to eat them small. if you pick them in the summer, instead of the fall, they taste like (and, actually, are) sweet summer squash …..
bye for now,
ss
Nic said,
July 25, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Hello! Just wanted to let you know that wikipedia has some info on the acorn squash as well if anyone is interested. I also enjoy your site, thanks for the info:)
Linda said,
August 7, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Bob: Jicima is good as a snack or in a salad. slice it up to look like french fries and eat it raw.
mike said,
September 22, 2007 at 6:42 pm
Hi. I was told by a friend not to pick winter squash until the first frost. I have always picked my acorn squash a little earlier than that but I’m wondering if it makes a difference in the taste.
Rob said,
August 21, 2008 at 10:03 pm
I picked one today Aug 21st. It was very dark green which is the only color I’ve ever seen a ripe acorn squash. It was the only one that was green. I too have a bunch that are light in color.
Usually the inside is orange’ish in color but the one I have in the oven as I write was more white than orange.
I put two tbsp each brown sugar and butter in center. Mmmm, I love acorn squash like that.
Take care now and enjoy all that squash!
Rob from Wisconsin.
Korienna said,
August 26, 2008 at 6:29 pm
I’m new at gardening this year and planted a few acorn squash plants. To my surprise there was one plant that grew something I had no idea what. When it got pretty big I picked it and later found it was a butternut squash. It’s still a bit light green. Oops. Is there a way to ripen it or should I just throw it away and NOT make the same mistake with the others that are growing? Thank you for your help!
Benjamin said,
August 16, 2009 at 10:48 am
Hmm, I juste ate an acorn squash I harvested on the 10th of August, and it was a little over ripe. Also, color like the one above has very little to do with things, I have had acorn squash turn dark green at 2″ in diameter and stay white at full grown. Mostly I look for size and especially hard/tough skin. I’d like to give a special thanks to Wasington State University Master Gardener program for helping save my acorn squash crop. Be the bee when it comes to pollinating your squash.
dbug61 said,
September 4, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Amy,
You might have a variety called “Table Queen” which stays “white” on the outside. Inside should be a nice golden orange color like any other acorn squash. The skin should be hard and I think it should sound a bit hollow if you thump it with a flat hand. I have an easy time with that on melons and pumpkins but a harder time on smaller squash.
Richard said,
September 14, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Hello fellow squash eaters !!! I grow acorn, butternut, and pumpkins. The secret is let the vine die with the sqash attatched . This will be a sure way that they are sweet and ripe .When the skin is dark green leave on plant a week or two longer continue to water so they are full size If you like you could pick them at various stages a and taste them and look at the color . Yellow-orange very sweet . Remember if your soil is good those squash will be too !!!
William said,
September 19, 2009 at 11:44 pm
I have grown acorn squash for 26 years. This year I have some plants that are producing the regular green squash. Then I have one plant that is producing only white squash. And when I say white, I mean pure white. I have never seen this before. After some research I have found that this is likely a different variety will eventually turn creamy gold or yellow if left on the vine long enough. I am still waiting…. In the mean time I agree with Susan. I typically start enjoying my Acorn squash when the first ones reach a size slightly larger than a baseball. Later in the year they get to about 7 inches long generally. I just bake them with a little salt and a lot of pepper. My wife likes the buttered, brown sugar type of baking.
moeursalen said,
September 21, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Great topic and timely. Until this year, I’ve always planted other types of squash. Now I have a bunch of “acorns” out there–we tried one but it was stringy. Well, I learned a bunch right here…but I should have read this in the spring.
tina said,
August 30, 2010 at 10:17 am
hi everyone i was wondering if yoyu can canned squash i hope someone can help me . i have acorn and butternut squash and i want to can it to make pies . and different recipes from it . thank you very much for your help
aaron and autum walker said,
August 31, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Is it too late to plant the acorn squash?if so when should plant them?also(sorry for asking so much)but how long approximately,to grow,from seed to ripeness,