Acorn squash are a type of winter squash, which impacts their harvesting. It means you want the fruits to remain on the vines until they are fully ripe, so they can store for the longest time possible.
If you pick them too soon they will not store for as long. Likewise, if you leave them too long they can become overripe - which can impact the flavor and cause the flesh to be stringy. Thankfully, you can tell when to harvest acorn squash by the color of the fruit, the texture of the rind, and the stem.
