Knowing when to harvest spaghetti squash means the difference between having flavorful, pasta-like squash noodles in your bowl and a watery squash disappointment. Spaghetti squash are long-season crops that take most of the growing season to fully mature in many parts of the US. They give you the chance to exercise your patience as you watch the seed you planted develop into lovely roping vines with small green fruits. Anticipation will continue building as those small green fruits become football-sized and take on a white and then yellow shade. This is how you know when to harvest spaghetti squash. In this article, read about different ways to determine your spaghetti squash’s maturity, as well as how to harvest, cure, and store this squash so you can eat your garden bounty through the fall and winter. (This is why it’s called winter squash, after all!)

What is spaghetti squash?

Spaghetti squash is in the family of winter squashes, the cucurbits. Other cucurbit-family members include pumpkins, acorn squash, butternut squash, watermelon, cucumbers, and zucchini. These plants are known for their vining or large-bush growth habits; large, lobed leaves; and short-lived, star-shaped blossoms. Spaghetti squash fits this profile, as well.

Plant them in full sun with room to spread out or on a sturdy trellis to grow up. If trellising, support the squash with nets or slings so they don’t pull down the vine with their heft.

Cucurbits are warm-season crops, so the plants will grow in the warm season and be killed by the first frost. They come ripe at different times, making it all the more important to understand when to harvest spaghetti squash, because that timing is different than harvesting other squashes, cucumbers, and melons.

Using the calendar to determine when to harvest spaghetti squash 

Garden record keeping is always a smart idea, and this is especially true in determining when to harvest spaghetti squash. On your calendar, record the date you seeded your squash. Among the important information on the seed packet is the days to maturity. This is the expected number of days it will take from putting the seed in the ground to the ripen-by date. This is not a hard-and-fast date, as an early fall, excess moisture, or other negative growing conditions can drag out the perfect time to harvest. The days to maturity gives you a good starting point to look for harvest-readiness signs. Most varieties of spaghetti squash are ready around 85 to 90 days from seedling.

You also need your calendar to time when to harvest spaghetti squash before the first frost, which will damage the plants, and for certain before the first hard freeze, which will destroy the squash itself. Starting on your average first frost date, count backward the number of days to maturity. Be sure your seeds are in the ground a week or two before this date to give the squash the extra time it may need to ripen.

Signs that spaghetti squash is ready to harvest 

While you want to use your calendar to have a heads-up on when to harvest spaghetti squash, there are other indicators that indicate the end of the growing season for this crop. These are:

• Rind color and texture
• Squash size and weight
• Stem appearance

We’ll go over each of these next.

When to harvest spaghetti squash based on rind color and texture 

A ripe spaghetti squash has a smooth, creamy-yellow rind. The entire rind color changes from green to white to yellow over the course of the season and sometimes has green spots as the yellow develops. The best spaghetti squash are a uniform yellow across the entire rind.

The hard rind that develops around the tender squash flesh allows the squash to keep in storage after harvest. Giving the rind the fingernail test, your nail will not leave an indentation when you press on a mature spaghetti squash.

When to harvest spaghetti squash based on size and weight of mature spaghetti squash 

Fully ripe, your spaghetti squash will feel heavy for its size. Different varieties grow to different weights, so this is another time to consult the information on your seed packet. You may find your squash variety tops out between 1 1/2 and 5 pounds when grown under ideal conditions.

Harvesting spaghetti squash based on stem appearance

When to harvest spaghetti squash also depends on the health of the vine. The stem is the living connection between the vine and the fruit. If the stem is still green and tender, nutrients are still flowing from the vine to the spaghetti squash plant. As the stem dries out and turns brown, that connection shrivels up, and it’s time to harvest.

How to properly harvest

The squash stem is surprisingly stout. This is not the kind of fruit you can pluck from the vine by hand. When it’s time to harvest your spaghetti squash, use sharp shears. Wear gloves, and use care to keep your fingers out of the way. Snip the stem, leaving an inch or two attached to the fruit.

If the squash is wet at harvest time, dry it with a towel. If it’s dirty, brush dried dirt from the rind. Don’t wash the squash, and definitely don’t use bleach or another cleaning agent, as this can soak through the rind.

While you might think the hard rind can protect the squash from rough handling, they’re surprisingly prone to bruises, which reduce their storage ability. Treat the spaghetti squash with care.

How to cure the squash

Whether you plan to store your squash for winter eating or you have immediate plans for homegrown pasta dishes, curing the spaghetti squash first will improve its flavor. Curing’s added bonus is that it improves the squash’s shelf life. Curing can also heal over minor blemishes, such as nicks and bruises, though blemished squashes may not keep as long.

To cure spaghetti squash, place them in a single layer in a space that’s 80 to 85 degrees F (26 to 29 degrees C) with a humidity of 80 to 85% for 10 days. A small greenhouse is a good place for curing squash, or you might have to create a space like this in your home, such as in a small closet with a space heater and humidifier. Another option, if the weather is good and no frost is in the forecast, is to sun cure the fruits. Leave them outdoors in a sunny spot for 5 to 7 days and then move them to storage.

Storage tips

After the 10-day curing period, spaghetti squash does best stored in a cool, dry location: 50 to 60 degrees F (10 to 15 degrees C) and 60% humidity. Many garages, basements, and pantries fill this need. If you happen to have a root cellar, that’s all the better. Spaghetti squash in good condition store for 2 to 3 months. Those with minor imperfections should be eaten first.

Spaghetti squash ripen at their own pace, but they follow the basic timeline of plant growth, fruit growth, and fruit maturation. The countdown of harvest times will slightly different each year, given ideal temperatures, timing of frosts, and other growing conditions.

While I can’t tell you the perfect time to harvest yours, you can use what you’ve learned here to determine when to harvest spaghetti squash from your garden. When that green color fades, you know you’re just a few weeks away from spaghetti squash on your plate. Handling your harvest with care, curing, and storing your spaghetti squash properly, this crop can feed you well into the fall and winter.

For more information on growing and harvesting squash and pumpkins, check out these expert articles:

• When to pick acorn squash
• How to freeze squash to preserve the harvest
• Growing spaghetti squash from seed