Harvest guide

Winter squash harvest guide: when to pick and how much to expect

Winter squash such as butternut are the gardener's winter pantry. Let them ripen fully, cure the skins and they'll keep for months.

Days to harvest: 100 days from sowing(University of Missouri Extension)
Harvest months: July–October(RHS)
Typical yield: 6.8 kg per 3 m row (15 lb per 10 ft)(Montana State University Extension)
Spacing: 90–150 cm (36–60 in) apart(RHS)
Family: Cucurbitaceae (gourd family)
Botanical name: Cucurbita moschata (butternut), C. maxima and C. pepo

Winter squash planting and harvest calendar

Sow April–May. Harvest July–October.(RHS)

Winter squash season timeline

Sow
Harvest

RHS harvest months for squashes in general. Winter squash is usually picked at the end of this window. Months are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate, based on RHS (UK) guidance. Shift them earlier or later to match your own frost dates, or by about six months in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sow
Harvest

When to harvest winter squash

Leave the fruit on the plant as long as possible to ripen fully and develop flavour. Riper squash also stores better.(RHS)
They're ready when the shell is hard. Pick before any frost.(University of Minnesota Extension)
Cut with at least 10 cm (4 in) of stalk to avoid a soft spot that can rot.(RHS)

How often to pick

A single autumn harvest. Bring all fruit in before the first frost.(RHS)

How many winter squash to expect

A 3 m (10 ft) row typically gives about 6.8 kg (15 lb).(Montana State University Extension)

Yields vary with variety, weather, soil and care. Treat these as ballpark figures, not targets.

Plan for your family

For 4 people eating winter squash fresh, plan on about 12–20 hills (small groups of plants)(University of Missouri Extension).

See the full planting-per-person guide →

Storing your winter squash

Cure the skins in the sun for a week or two, then store at 10–15 °C (50–60 °F) with the fruits spaced apart.(RHS)
Depending on variety, winter squash keeps about two to six months.(University of Minnesota Extension)

Track it

Log every winter squash harvest

Harvest Journal is a private garden journal for your phone. Tap to log each picking of winter squash by weight or count, and see your season add up, with no account needed.