The Spaghetti Squash is an unusual winter squash with a lemon yellow color and inside that resemble the Italian spaghetti for which it is named.
From the time of seeding until the time of harvest, spaghetti squash takes about 10 to 14 weeks to form. Discover how to harvest it, how to prepare it, and how to store it by reading on.
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What are the signs of my Spaghetti Squash being ripe?
Check the size, color, and nail test to determine whether this squash is ripe.
- As the squash ripens, its color changes from green to yellow. The squash’s surface should feel solid to the touch and the ripe fruit should be an extended, rounded shade of bright lemon yellow.
- Size: The fruit begins as a blossom, develops into a long, zucchini-like shape, and eventually becomes rounder. However, read below on picking the initial fruits smaller to promote growth. It should be at least 3 inches wide and possibly 6 to 9 inches long.
- Try the thumbnail evaluation! Leave the fruit to develop for another week or so if you lightly poke a nail into the fruit’s top where it connects to the stem and it feels mushy. If it is lemon yellow and meets the size requirements but feels hard, it is probably ripe.
What month does Spaghetti Squash ripen?
- You should be able to harvest the first fruit by late July if you plant indoors in late April because the first fruits will start to appear in July.
- If this is your first time growing a squash plant, get ready to be astounded by how long the stem can get! Beautiful orange flowers are produced by these spreading plants, and after they are pollinated, they develop into fruit. The plant keeps expanding, and its tendrils will cling to nearby plants like beans or sunflowers as it does so.
- After flowers have been pollinated, fruits appear, and the squash continues to grow until October. Even though they have not yet reached their maximum size, it is recommended to harvest the first one or two fruits; after that, pick frequently to promote additional fruit development.
- The plant will then carry on blooming and bearing fruit until the fall when the days become shorter and the light diminishes. All fruits from this plant family are traditionally harvested just before the first frost.
How do you cut the fruit?
- This squash typically weighs a lot and falls to the ground when the surrounding flora becomes more untamed. If the squash is grown on a sturdy stem along which it has climbed, support it gently and cut it off at the stem once you have determined that it is ready.
- Fruiting squashes can also be grown on flat stones. Support your squash with your hand if it is lying flat on a stone or the ground to prevent stressing the rest of the plant. Next, trim the growing stem just above it, and relocate the stone to support another squash that is also growing.
- You may either utilize the fruit right away or leave it on a sunny window sill to dry and mature. Then, until you need them, keep these dried squashes indoors in a cool location. Check the tips below to see how long you can preserve them.
How do you know when it’s ripe to pick?
Only attach the squash to the vine after letting the fruit get as big as it can. As the fall frost draws near, remove. Squash vine stem must be cut. Then keep them until Christmas by storing them in a cool, dry, and dark location.
Can Spaghetti Squash ripen off the vine?
Yes, it can be picked and kept, just like all squash. The fruit will continue to get bigger and tastier while it grows on the plant, so if the frosts haven’t yet come, it’s probably best to let them.
Only the very last fruit should be picked in order to prevent leaving it on the vine once fall’s chill sets in. However, if you put the squash on a sunny windowsill, relocate it when it is mature, and then cook or store it, it will continue to ripen indoors.
Can Spaghetti Squash ripen if you harvest it early?
It varies. Spaghetti squash should definitely have its early fruits harvested in order to encourage the plant to continue bearing fruit.
Since you waited until the very last minute for those initial fruits to ripen, they will likely be smaller than the fruit you pick at the end of the season. So, if you harvest a squash early, it will ripen and become ripe, but it won’t likely grow to the full size of a mature fruit.
Why does my Spaghetti Squash look like a watermelon?
The skin of both fruits has that mottled, green pattern and color at first, but the watermelon’s fruit initially appears green and rounded before becoming to a darker green as it ripens.
The color of spaghetti squash, which is not a member of the same family, changes from green to yellow as it ripens. Although certain seeds can grow fruit that resembles watermelon, the tastes of the two fruits are very dissimilar. Slice both open and inspect!
How do you store Spaghetti Squash?
Whole fruit can be kept until around Christmas in a dark place, but if it hasn’t been cooked by then, it will start to go bad. Try to use them before the holiday season since if left out for too long, they will start to mold.
FAQs
How do you cook Spaghetti Squash?
- This lemon squash should be boiled for 25 minutes before being cut in half.
- Remove the seeds first because they can be dried and kept in storage just like sunflower seeds.
- With a spoon or fork, separate the “spaghetti” strands from the flesh, and then serve them with your standard spaghetti recipes.
- Online, there are several recipes for this peculiar squash.
Can you eat the flesh of Spaghetti Squash as well as the strands?
Uncooked spaghetti squash has a similar appearance to other squash or pumpkins. The skin is more difficult because it is a winter squash, but it is still tasty. The plant gets its name from the fact that this squash’s cooked inside crumbles. There might be a tiny bit of skin and flesh that you can use to make soup or add to stews.
Can I freeze Spaghetti Squash?
These squashes are challenging to freeze since the cooked flesh shatters so easily. I find that the strands are best consumed immediately after cooking. They can be frozen, but if you compare the outcomes to the fresh squash, you might be dissatisfied.
Some chefs advise freezing the entire squash interior in a plastic bag, then simply transferring the contents into a bowl and reheating it in the microwave.
Tips
In order to promote fruiting, especially during a dry time, thoroughly water the plant. You might see a type of mold developing on the leaves if you water your plants infrequently during dry spells. Simply remove these leaves and feed the plant every two weeks to promote fruit growth.
Storage: Because they typically keep well, spaghetti squash is referred to as a winter squash. In any case, try to cook them before Christmas as the fruit is prone to developing mold otherwise.