acorn squash in my garden?
Answers:
Is it an acorn squash? Those are usually dark green or golden yellow, although there are some newer varieties that are multicolored.
Butternut squash is more of a beige, and some types of hubbard squash are grayish.
In any case, these are all winter squashes, which have a thick skin. They were originally called winter squash because the thick skin helps them to keep longer, which was important before modern food storage. If the skin is thick, so it's hard to pierce it with your fingernail, it's fully mature. It won't hurt to pick it younger, though.
Summer squash, like zucchini and yellow crookneck, have thin skins, don't store as well, and don't taste very good if you let them get too big.
Other answers:
now, you can pick sqush young middle, but to old is not good.
now, you can pick sqush young middle, but to old is not good.
Assuming it really is acorn squash (but why isn't it green?), harvest when sturdy and heavy with fairly glossy firm skin (hopefully unblemished). Acorn do not store well, only up to 3 months. Store cut pieces in the refrigerator. Do not refrigerate whole squash as they will deteriorate quickly.