Knowledgebase

Spaghetti squash pollinated with pumpkin #920398

Asked October 21, 2025, 6:33 PM EDT

A good percentage of our spaghetti squash have some of the traits of pumpkins, which were planted nearby. I am having trouble judging the ripeness of these crossed squash. Some have green stripes and orange blotches and others a Have light green stripes. Can you tell me which are ripe? Will they eventually turn orange?

Olmsted County Minnesota

Expert Response

Spaghetti squash are a winter squash and should be harvested when ripe. They need to be cured before they can be eaten. In the field is ideal, but if cold has set in you can cure them inside. 

Your squash may cross-pollinate with pumpkins but it will not chance the crop you get this year. The cross-pollination will show up in any seeds you save and plant next year. If you purchased your seed, they should produce what the packet says they are. If you planted seed that you saved from last year, you may be  getting a new squash that is part spaghetti and part another near-by squash. 

I hope that makes sense. 

Your squash all look the same to me. There is some variation in the green that is probably due to ripeness or more or less exposure to sun. 

https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/pumpkins-and-winter-squash#harvest-and-storage-236363

Deb Reierson Replied October 21, 2025, 10:04 PM EDT

Loading ...