3 Tests To Tell When to Pick Winter Squash and Pumpkins

Knowing when to pick winter squash and pumpkins can be a little tricky. These are plants that are best ripened fully on the vine.

Squash and pumpkins in a fall display — Knowing when to pick squash and pumpkins can be a little tricky. Here's how to get it just right!

It’s not always easy to know when they are fully ripe, though.

There are some easy tests to help you decide when the time is right to pick your winter squash and pumpkins.

Jump to:

Which Types of Squash and Pumpkins Can You Use These Tests For?
Three Tips to Tell When to Pick Winter Squash:
1. Skin Firmness: The Thumbnail Test
2. Skin or Flesh Color
3. Check the Stem
VIDEO: 3 Easy Tests to Tell When to Pick Winter Squash & Pumpkins
What if Frost is Coming, and Squash or Pumpkins Aren’t Quite Ready to Pick?
What if a Harder Frost or Freeze is in the Forecast?
How to Ripen Squash and Pumpkins Indoors

Which Types of Squash and Pumpkins Can You Use These Tests For?

Winter storage squash — Use these tips and tricks on any type of fall or winter or storage squash and pumpkins.

These tricks work for any winter-type pumpkin or squash. These are basically your storage type squashes with harder rinds; those that you would store in cool or cold storage but that don’t require refrigeration.

Summer squash and zucchini and similar fresh-eating squashes wouldn’t be candidates for this type of “testing.”

Mostly, these are tips for your fall harvest squashes and pumpkins.

Some popular types you would use these tests for are varieties such as

Sugar pumpkins
Field pumpkins
Pumpkins of any type
Butternut squash
Acorn squash
Similar hard-rind storage squashes
Blue Hubbard squash
Mini versions or mini varieties of any of the above (like buttercup, honeynut, or butter baby)

Three Tips to Tell When to Pick Winter Squash:

Here are three easy ways to tell if your squash is ready to pick:

1. Skin Firmness: The Thumbnail Test

Testing skin on a butternut squash — Indents that don't stay or don't leave a mark mean skins are hard and ready to harvest.

Winter squash and pumpkins should have firm, hard skins when they are ready to harvest.

They should not mark or dent easily.

To test this, simply push in on the skin with your thumb or fingernail.

The skin should either not mark at all or leave only the barest dent that rebounds on its own.
You should not be able to cut into the skin with a press of your fingernail.
If the skin leaves cuts or moon shapes behind your nail, let it stay out to ripen and harden some more. This squash is not quite ready (even if the tests for color, stem, etc. seem good).

2. Skin or Flesh Color

Buff colored butternut squash — Check that the color is consistent and the color that the variety is supposed to be.

The color of the squash should be uniform and should be a shade of color that you think the mature squash should be.

In other words, what you thought it would look like. Look at the vegetable on its seed package. Google it if you’re not sure or don’t have the packet anymore.

Check for uniform color over the whole squash.
White or green stripes or shaded patches of white or green in the skin tell you that the squash isn’t fully ripe.
Look especially close to the top where the stem attaches. The last of the lines will be found here.
The body of the fruit may have light white mottling or striping when it is unripe, too.
Look for solid skin color over the whole squash instead.
If it is a green squash that typically has a yellow or orange patch when ripe, that is fine.

3. Check the Stem

Unripe butternut squash — Green stems mean squash are not ready to harvest. Look for corky and brown.

The stem should be firmly attached. It should also have dried down by quite a lot.

A small amount of green on a stem is okay, but for the most part the stem on winter squashes and pumpkins should look shriveled and somewhat shrunken and dry.
Stems should be a tan to light brown.
Mature stems have been compared to the look, feel, and weight of cork, and that is a good comparison.

Often, by the time the stem is ready, the vine will have died back, and it will only be lightly attached. Either way, you want to be sure to cut the stem from the vine at its end, not pull it.

Take care not to break the stem off. Not only will your pumpkins and squash look better with the stems still attached, but they will also store better and for longer.

VIDEO: 3 Easy Tests to Tell When to Pick Winter Squash & Pumpkins

*Apologies for slightly misspeaking in the video. These tests are for storage-type winter squash and pumpkins. They do not apply to soft-skinned summer squash and zucchini.

What if Frost is Coming, and Squash or Pumpkins Aren’t Quite Ready to Pick?

Unripe squash leaving a fingernail mark — If a damaging frost or freeze is coming and squash aren't quite ripe, pick and ripen squash inside (but they should be at least starting to turn).

If frost is coming, you have some decisions to make. Frost will mean the end of growing for the plant. If the squash or pumpkins will get some warmer temperatures and sunlight after the frost, it can be worth leaving them outside to ripen further -- but you will have to protect them from that frost.

If only a light frost is predicted for a single night, it is best to leave the squash and pumpkins outside to ripen when the sun comes out again
Light frost is defined as temperatures around freezing, about 32℉ or 0℃, but not lower than 28℉ or -2℃
Ideally, the frost will last only for a few hours

To protect your pumpkins and squash during the first light frosts:

Cover the plants and the vegetables the night before, before the temperatures fall and the frost sets in
It is best to cover the whole plant, leaves and vines and all, which will often let the plant live for several more days, and perhaps weeks if your weather rebounds to warmer temperatures
At the very least, cover the vegetables to avoid damage and spotting from frost, which can result in soft spots where rot can set in
Fabric covers are best, but if you don’t have any, you can use sheets of plastic, too (plastic gets colder and holds more cold, though)
Remay or frost fabric are ideal and come in large sheets, as well as sheets and tunnels in many sizes
An old bed sheet is a good option, too

What if a Harder Frost or Freeze is in the Forecast?

Squash and pumpkins that experience more than a light surface frost will freeze, and this can cause soft spots and damage from the outside in.

If a hard freeze is predicted, it’s better to pick off all your squash and pumpkins and bring them inside to (hopefully) finish ripening.

A hard frost or freeze is defined as temperatures of 28℉ or -2℃ for four or more hours or a temperature of 24℉ or -4.44℃ for any period of time.

If temperatures like these are in your forecast, your best chance of finishing and using your squash and pumpkins is to bring them inside and ripen them there.

How to Ripen Squash and Pumpkins Indoors

Cleaned squash ready for storage — Squash need a warm place to complete ripening, and then they can be stored after they are ripe.

If you have to bring your winter squash or pumpkins inside for ripening, place them in a warm, sunny space
Leave them there for two or more weeks until they pass the test for full ripeness
Then, move them into a cold storage area for longer-term storage

Squash and pumpkins don’t ripen well in the dark or cold, so it’s best to ripen them first and then store them.