Last updated on September 12th, 2013
I’m dreaming of luscious soups, savory side-dishes and jack-o-lanterns today. Why? Because my plantings of winter squash are ready for harvest. Here is my method for picking, curing and storing these powerhouses of fiber and beta-carotene:
The time to pick butternut squash, acorn squash and pumpkins is when stems have shriveled, vines are beginning to die back, and shells have hardened. If you can’t scratch a shell easily with your fingernail, it is hard enough. Cut cleanly from the vine with hand-pruners, keeping one to two inches of stem intact. Only on Hubbard-types should the stem be removed.
Next, permit the squash to “cure” — that is, to heal its cuts and scratches — in warm, moist air. Ideal curing conditions are 75-85 degrees F., and 80-percent humidity. These conditions are not easily achieved during a typical Northeastern autumn. Thus, I compromise slightly, by setting my squash varieties in full sun on the wire-mesh patio table for 10 days. The produce is moved temporarily into the mud-room whenever rain or frost threatens.
After curing, move the squash to cool storage. There’s no compromising here: temperatures between 50-55 degrees F., and 50-70 percent humidity are the rule. A room in my creepy Victorian cellar satisfies this storage requirement; if your cellar is too warm, too cold, or too dry, perhaps you have a slightly heated garage or an unheated spare room where the squash can be stored.
Squash should never be stored on a cold, damp basement floor, nor should it be stacked. Stand the harvest on a table in one layer, or arrange it, single-file, on shelves. Stacking leads to injured produce, and this invites rot. And like the proverbial apple, one rotten squash will spoil the whole bunch.
Storage life depends upon the type of squash you have:
Acorn – 2 months, perhaps a little longer
Butternut – 5 months
Pumpkin – 3 months
Hubbard – up to 6 months
Spaghetti – 2-3 months
Yes, I’m dreaming of snowy evenings, roaring fires, and comforting bowls of butternut squash soup. Are you?
Don’t miss anything at A Garden for the House…sign up for Kevin’s weekly newsletter!
Related Posts:
Caramelized Butternut Squash Soup
My Easy Kitchen Garden
Classic Tomato Pie
Holly says
You make winter sound so romantic! I'm dreaming of winter squash, snow, and roaring fires too. Thanks for the squash storing tips!
Eric says
I have butternut squash in the garden, and it's almost ready. Acorn and spaghetti squash I'll buy from my CSA. Do CSAs and farms cure the squash before they sell it?
Gardenlady says
Kevin, I love all of the squash you mentioned, although I've never tried hubbard. I'm going to buy a winter's supply of acorn, spaghetti and butternut squash from a local farm and try storing them on a ledge in my basement.
I hope you'll give us some recipes…
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Eric – Most farms do cure their winter squash before selling, but I'd ask to make sure.
Gardenlady – Nothing like turning one's basement into a supermarket, eh? And yes, there will be recipes…I promise.
Judy says
I loooove butternut squash soup — but I guess I'd need a new blender for that too, huh? If you have any recipes I'm all ears!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Judy – yes. Now you have TWO reasons to get a new blender (or food processor)!
Anne says
Perfect squash photo. I have another bumper crop.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Anne – I have a bumper crop of butternut. Unfotunately, my acorns did not produce as in years past.
Janet G. Metzger says
Thank you for the suggestions. Next year! This year I harvested 1 pea and one handful of beans. 🙂
Now that I know that squash can be stored I will try it again.
Blessings,
Janet M
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Janet – LOL! Perhaps you can plant a “cool-season” harvest…arugula, broccoli, beans, spinach. These take less than 60 days to mature.
Maureen says
Thanks for the tip on the Hubbard squash.I was going to leave a stem on them. This is the first year I have had enough to winter over. The butternut squash is usually my bumper crop and usually the one I store for winter. I have only about one per vine. The Hubbard are huge tho. I have a nice veggie casserole recipe that I cook and serve in Hubbard squash. It would be fun to share recipes-just tried a recipe for spaghetti squash pancakes for my niece who is vegan…love those dreamy thoughts of a roaring fire and soup. MM
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Maureen – do share! Would love to have both your Veggie Casserole in a Hubbard Squash- and Spaghetti Squash Pancakes-recipes. I'll bet there are lots of Butternut Squash Soup formulae out there, too. I'll set up a blog devoted entirely to such recipes in the days to come.
Terry says
Hi Kevin
I grew some butternut squash for the first time this year and I have 9 small to medium squash that are almost ripe. However, something has come into my garden and taken small scratches or bites in several of the squash. They aren't deep, but I don't want them to go bad. I was wondering, do you think if I melted some wax and covered the holes, that would keep the squash fresh longer? I had hoped to keep these stored for the winter, rather than cutting them up and freezing.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Terry – welcome! In general, the squash will heal its various cuts and scratches when you leave it to cure in the sun. But if the squash isn't ripe, and you are concerned about rot, you might (as you said) try sealing the blemishes with wax. Also, place netting around the squash to deter the critter (probably a chipmunk or squirrel) that is “sampling” the rind. Hope to “see” you again!
Anonymous says
My son took our squash out early this year… I have three of them… two are hard to scratch the other one has some green stripes on it and you can scratch it. I'm going to put them in the sun to cure. Can we eat the one that is not ripe or is that one just for decoration? I've heard of using it for a table decoration with candles so I am really thinking of doing that next week for my son's b-day.
Anonymous says
Oh and there are 3 or 4 still in the garden. I was told to wait until there is a frost to take them out… which might actually be this weekend… two of them I think are still green too.
And then we are to cure them… so I will have to take them in at night when it frost??
thanks
Angela
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Angela – welcome. I assume you are referring to butternut squash here. Don't worry about a few pale-green stripes on the skin — the flesh within is still edible. However, very green fruit should be reserved for decoration.
Beware frost — it will turn your squash into mush! Harvest what you have now, and on cold nights, bring in any fruit you are curing.
See you again soon, I hope.
Paul Woodward, Napa CA says
Do you wash dirt off the squash before curing 10 days in full sun?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Paul Woodward – Nice to meet you. Do not wash the squash or get it wet in any way. Simply brush the dirt off with your hands.
Beth says
Hi–I live in NW TN (Zone 7A) and have been forced to harvest all of my gorgeous, plentiful butternut squashes due to intense squirrel predation. It’s either that or lose them all. Many were ready to harvest already (hard rind, dry stem that snaps off, tan color, hollow when thumped), but some were far from ready–not green but creamy white. Can I pressure can those that are not ready yet?….or should I steam and freeze them? Will they ripen on a sunny shelf? I am sick about this and have determined to NEVER plant anything out in that particular space that grows above ground because of the *^&#@!!! squirrels. (It’s behind my garage and out of eyesight so the damage is done before I know it.) I had sweet potatoes back there last summer and had a bumper crop—I need to only plant root crops….or maybe ultra-hot peppers…..that’d fix their furry hineys!!! I’m a careful canner and appreciate any insight or advice you care to pass along. Thanks!