Will butternut squash ripen off the vine?

[tempestborn]

i'm watching my squash very carefully; so far i've seen one squash bug. i went out with a spray bottle of soapy water and looked under every single leaf: no eggs and no sign of any other squash bugs. i have twelve beautiful squash on the vine, getting big. i hand-pollinated all of them. i'm terrified of them being attacked. if i just pick them when they're big, will they ripen by themselves like tomatoes will?

 

[tempestborn]

which actually begs another question: if i harvest this batch when they're bigger, will the squash produce more?

 

[Chuck]

i'm watching my squash very carefully; so far i've seen one squash bug. i went out with a spray bottle of soapy water and looked under every single leaf: no eggs and no sign of any other squash bugs. i have twelve beautiful squash on the vine, getting big. i hand-pollinated all of them. i'm terrified of them being attacked. if i just pick them when they're big, will they ripen by themselves like tomatoes will?

Most winter squash will ripen off of the vine IF they are mature and/or have changed or is changing to its fully ripened color. However, if you do pick the squash before it is fully ripened it loses much of its flavor.

 

[tempestborn]

Most winter squash will ripen off of the vine IF they are mature and/or have changed or is changing to its fully ripened color. However, if you do pick the squash before it is fully ripened it loses much of its flavor.

k, what about the second question: do you know if it will make more?

 

[Chuck]

k, what about the second question: do you know if it will make more?

I don't THINK it will make any more than it normally would.

 

[tempestborn]

I don't THINK it will make any more than it normally would.

thanks!