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Harvesting Acorn Squash and Watermelon: The Thump Test and Visual Cues

Acorn Squash Readiness

Color: Deep, solid dark green (orange ground spot okay).
Skin hardness: Resists fingernail pressure.
Stem: Dry, corky, brown.
Thump: Hollow, dull sound (practice on unripe first).

Watermelon Readiness

Tendril: Brown and dry at fruit attachment.
Ground spot: Creamy yellow (not white).
Thump: Deep, hollow "thud" (high pitch = unripe).
Rind: Dull, not shiny; resists thumbnail.

Rhode Island Timing (Zone 5/6)

Acorn squash: late September–October (before hard frost). Watermelon: late August–September. If frost threatens, harvest all mature fruit—squash cures indoors; watermelon does not ripen off vine.

Pro Tip

Thump every few days as harvest nears to train your ear. Keep a harvest journal with dates and observations for future reference.

Growing Vegetables: Harvest Acorn Squash Early When Vines Decline; When to Plant Squash, Cucumbers, and Watermelons in Carlsbad, NM; When Acorn Squash Stops Producing; Ripeness Tests for Cantaloupe and Watermelon: Stem Slip, Tendril, and Thump; When to Harvest Acorn Squash: Color, Ground Spot & Stem Signs; When to Harvest Butternut and Acorn Squash for Best Flavor; Harvesting and Storing Bumper Butternut and Acorn Squash; When to Pick Eggplant and Butternut: Color Over Size; Harvest Timing for Acorn Squash and Watermelon in a Crowded Garden; When to Harvest Spaghetti Squash and Cantaloupe for Peak Flavor

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