When do you harvest hard-shelled squash

[DocHeb]

I have butternut, buttercup and "Royal Ace" squash growing in the garden. Do I harvest them in the fall, like pumkins (after all the vines are dried), or should I be picking them now?

[richardlu]

We harvested our Butternut Squash last week here in Arkansas and have already eaten several Squash Pies [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[DUMBDOG]

On the buttercup squash, the stem will start to crack and dry up, this means that they are mature.

[kensfarm]

We pick the winter squash that we want to eat now when they are young.. the older they get.. the harder they get.. but this gives them their "store-ability" for over the winter. I can eat just fried winter squash for dinner.. flipped in corn meal then fried.. mmm.. good!