My Acorn Squash (maybe Table Queen) look mature and size has stopped
increasing. They are large, heavy, dark green with thick stems. They
have been that color and size for weeks. When to remove from vine is my
question. Vines still look healthy with large green leaves. No new
blossoms. Can the squash continue to ripen by hanging on the healthy
vines all summer long? I live in hot San Fernando Valley. Every day,
near noon time (90F or hotter), these plants show extreme wilting leaves.

Thanks, Dave_s

I was taught to leave them on the vines until the skin had hardened so you
can't scratch it with a thumbnail and the bottom had turned yellow. By that
time the vines were starting to die back. Leave 2-4 inches of vine when you
cut them. If you are going to store them don't wash them and make sure they
are bone dry. Probably where you live this isn't a problem. I kept mine on
wood slat shelves in the basement pantry and most lasted for 6 months and
sometimes more.

Val

"Dave_S" wrote in message
...
My Acorn Squash (maybe Table Queen) look mature and size has stopped
increasing. They are large, heavy, dark green with thick stems. They
have been that color and size for weeks. When to remove from vine is my
question. Vines still look healthy with large green leaves. No new
blossoms. Can the squash continue to ripen by hanging on the healthy vines
all summer long? I live in hot San Fernando Valley. Every day, near noon
time (90F or hotter), these plants show extreme wilting leaves.

Thanks, Dave_s

"Dave_S" wrote in message
...
My Acorn Squash (maybe Table Queen) look mature and size has stopped
increasing. They are large, heavy, dark green with thick stems. They
have been that color and size for weeks. When to remove from vine is my
question. Vines still look healthy with large green leaves. No new
blossoms. Can the squash continue to ripen by hanging on the healthy vines
all summer long? I live in hot San Fernando Valley. Every day, near noon
time (90F or hotter), these plants show extreme wilting leaves.


I pick winter squash mid season and then I get a second harvest... in your
climate you can probably get a third. There is no point in leaving squash
on the vine once it is obviously mature, even picked a bit early is fine,
you'll have less mature seeds is all... once the seeds mature the plant will
stop producing. Unless you're going to enter a contest for the largest
acorn squash there is no reason to leave the fruit any longer past a size
suitable for cooking... young squash are tastier and much easier to slice.

In article ,
"brooklyn1" wrote:

"Dave_S" wrote in message
...
My Acorn Squash (maybe Table Queen) look mature and size has stopped
increasing. They are large, heavy, dark green with thick stems. They
have been that color and size for weeks. When to remove from vine is my
question. Vines still look healthy with large green leaves. No new
blossoms. Can the squash continue to ripen by hanging on the healthy vines
all summer long? I live in hot San Fernando Valley. Every day, near noon
time (90F or hotter), these plants show extreme wilting leaves.


I pick winter squash mid season and then I get a second harvest... in your
climate you can probably get a third. There is no point in leaving squash
on the vine once it is obviously mature, even picked a bit early is fine,
you'll have less mature seeds is all... once the seeds mature the plant will
stop producing. Unless you're going to enter a contest for the largest
acorn squash there is no reason to leave the fruit any longer past a size
suitable for cooking... young squash are tastier and much easier to slice.

I look for the yellow heart shape spot on the acorn squash before
picking.

Enjoy Life ... Dan

--
Garden in Zone 5 South East Michigan.

In article ,
Dave_S wrote:

My Acorn Squash (maybe Table Queen) look mature and size has stopped
increasing. They are large, heavy, dark green with thick stems. They
have been that color and size for weeks. When to remove from vine is my
question. Vines still look healthy with large green leaves. No new
blossoms. Can the squash continue to ripen by hanging on the healthy
vines all summer long? I live in hot San Fernando Valley. Every day,
near noon time (90F or hotter), these plants show extreme wilting leaves.

Thanks, Dave_s

1) Wait for stems to shrivel and dry
2) The skin is so hard you can't cut it with your thumbnail.
3) Wait until after your first frost but before your first hard frost.
--

- Billy

"For the first time in the history of the world, every human being is
now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of
conception until death." - Rachel Carson

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7843430.stm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI29wVQN8Go

Hi,
the skin had hardened so you
can't scratch it with a thumbnail and the bottom had turned yellow. By that
time the vines were starting to die back. Leave 2-4 inches of vine when you
cut them. If you are going to store them don't wash them and make sure they
are bone dry.