# when do I pick banana squash?



## myhorsejack (Sep 30, 2007)

I tried looking online and found lots of recipes and so forth but nothing that tells me when they are ready.
Thank you for your help!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I have never heard of Banana Squash before, is it a hard shell squash?

Like acorn squash I wait untill there is a good yellow patch on the bottom of it where it's been laying on the straw, Or like butternut or Buttercup I might leave out there until the plants start dying off. 
Hope that helps.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

In my humble opinion, banana squash are the best tasting squash there are. I raised them last year for the first time. We picked them when they were fully colored with no green streaks and the vines were starting to die (squash bugs). Delicious. Here is some my BIL (hes the one with the squash) and I raised last year. 








Shot with DSC-H1 at 2007-08-20


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## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

The stem will be brown and warty when they're done.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

ksfarmer, those things are huge. I've never seen them or heard of them before. Can you plant them from seed right in the ground like acorn. etc. in zone 4?

Also is the texture like sweet dumpling, acorn or other hard shell squash?


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

I would compare them to butternut, in flavor, and texture. Shell is about like butternut also. Those are the biggest we grew, others ranged from football size on up. I planted seed in late may and picked those in late august. In zone 5. They grow fast, but the squash bugs really love them. I like them baked with raisins, walnuts, and brownsugar. mmmmmmmmmmmm. A slice at a time,,,too big to bake the whole thing.


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## myhorsejack (Sep 30, 2007)

Oh thank you so much for the info. The squash bugs are raising cane in the garden right now so this makes me feel better on that too!

Thank you!


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

I would say pick when the stem that connects the fruit to the vine looks tan colored and "corky". My Mother and I got a pink banana squash last year from some Amish folk selling along the road..best flavor bar none winter squash we ever ate. Ordered pure seed( you should see the beautiful NECK squash grew from the saved seed, lots of cross pollenation in that garden!) from Territorial Seeds and got nearly 40lbs in 5 squash..after the seed company said they could grow 30 inches and weight 50lb!! Discovered Burgess strain Buttercup this year too...MMMMM!!!! Microwaved it and ate it without butter or even salt, extremely sweet and stringless! I can see I have to expand my squash patch next year...bugs and deer ate vines and groundhogs ate immature squash. I am determined to run my "keeping" tests this year. I still have a sound butternut that I harvested LAST year. When the new crop butternuts come out of the garden I am going to eat it and see if it has any flavor left.


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## oberhaslikid (May 13, 2002)

Those Banana squash are the best. Thats the only one I can now and use for everything.You will love them.Save the seeds for next year.Chickens and goat food too.


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## myhorsejack (Sep 30, 2007)

I have never canned squash. Do you peel, dice and then can in pressure cooker?
Thank you for your enthusiasm! Cant wait to taste them!


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