Summer has come and gone and Fall is now here which means the first frost is not far behind. I tried a new vegetable in the garden this year “Yellow Spaghetti Squash”. One reason was I always like to experiment with new vegetables and second I am on a Gluten Free Diet because I have Celiac Disease and was looking for a good substitute for spaghetti.
Spaghetti Squash usually takes between 90 to 100 days to reach its maturity, depending on the variety. You can tell it is ready to harvest when the fruit has turned a deep yellow color, and the rind is hard. Another way to make sure it is ready to harvest, is your fingernail to test the hardness of the skin. You want to make sure it does not give anywhere on the fruit.
Once you are satisfied it is ready to harvest, cut the stem leaving about 2″ so as not to damage the skin. Leave the squash in a warm location for about a week so the skin can harden and cure. Once cured store the fruit in a cool, dry area with temperatures between 50-55 degrees and low humidity.
Store the fruit in single layers with the fruit not touching each other to lessen the chance of rot. Under these conditions the fruit can be stored for up to six months. The storage could be a basement, unheated garage, or root cellar.
For more ideas on how and where to store them check out Colorado State University (CSU) Extension Fact Sheet #7.6
Article and pictures contributed by Rich Young, Colorado Master Gardener.
July 16, 2012 at 8:42 am
Hi I too am celiac and for that reason planted spaghetti squash so thank you so much for the info it really helped me :)
October 25, 2012 at 7:44 pm
It’s October 24 and a frost is due tonight. I have about 10 spaghetti squash in the garden but they are pale yellow. If i pick them now, will they ripen in the house? Or do I just leave them out in the garden. I’m sure, the plants will die.
October 25, 2012 at 8:48 pm
You can pick your spaghetti squash and bring them inside to finish ripening. The first thing you want to do when you bring them in is wash them in cool water and dry them off. This will prevent them from rotting. Next find a nice sunny spot for them to finish ripening. If some still have a little green on them rotate them from time to time so you obtain a nice yellow color.