when is a marrow ready to pick for storing?

[armadillo]

Marrows keeps and courgettes don't, apparently, so at what stage does this transformation from 'not' to 'does' happen?

I've read that you should 'leave marrows to mature on the plant' but for how long?

Is my 15" marrow ready to cut? Or is there some magic sign when they're ready?

The plant is still making baby courgettes, so I'd like to cut the marrow if it's ready to give them the plant's full attention.

[Capsid]

Deleted. I don't know what I'm talking about.

[Alison]

Both marrow's and squashes are summer squashes and I've always been under the impression that neither keep. Winter squashes (butternut, pumpkins etc) however still grow in the summer but harden off in late summer and therefore keep.

[rustylady]

If you want the plant to keep producing courgettes, then cut the marrow - It probably isn't mature enough to store, if you want to store them you leave them on the plant until the skin is really hard and dry (usually September time).

[gojiberry]

You should be able to mature the marrow off the plant, lift it off the ground and let the sun ripen it. Keep on eye on it and if it starts to go mouldy on the stalk end then it isn't going to keep and you will have to use it straight away.

Ian

[armadillo]

Thanks - I'll try picking it and drying it, the skin has gone quite hard and dark already.