- 1). Check the color of the outer skin of the squash. In the immature stages, your squash will be light in color, regardless of the actual color scheme of your squash. The skin color darkens to either a yellow, orange or similar color when the squash is ready to harvest.
- 2). Test the condition of the outer skin. Young squash has a soft outer skin that you can easily puncture. The skin toughens and is hard to pierce when the squash is ripe.
- 3). Lift the squash. A ripe squash will seem heavy and full, indicating that the meat inside is moist and ripe.
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