It’s that time of year again. Fall is in the air..well just a hint of it down here in the South. But all things pumpkin and apple are being celebrated, which means it’s squash season too. The past two years we began growing some of our own winter squash and pumpkins for eating and eco-friendly fall decorations. The first year we struggled with pests and disease, but last year we learned how to harvest winter squash and store it effectively. Even had one squash last all the way until spring! Read on for some tips and tricks to maximize storage life of your delicious homegrown winter squashes.
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What’s the difference between summer and winter squash?
Squash comes in two broad categories–winter and summer. Summer squash grow more quickly (60-ish days). The fruits are eaten young and tender with thinner skins right in the middle of summer. Think zucchini, pattypan, and crookneck squashes. Winter squashes, however, grow more slowly (80-100 days). The fruits are allowed to mature on the vine and develop thick protective skins, which make them great for storage over the cooler winter months. Examples of these are pumpkins, acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and other thick-skinned varieties.
Here are a few varieties we have grown or want to grow in the future:
When to harvest winter squash
While you can harvest summer squash at any size to eat, winter squash requires a bit more patience. They need to remain on the vine until the skins deepen in color and the skin is thick enough that you can’t easily poke it with your fingernail. We also like allowing the stem to start browning and the vine is starting to die back. That being said, keep an eye on weather for the first frost date (or if you’re going to have a streak of 50F or below temps). Chilling the squash will decrease its ability to store long-term.
How to harvest winter squash
For harvesting winter squash, you will want some sharp pruning shears to cut through the stems. (we like these) When cutting, leave 2-4 inches of stem on each squash and avoid carrying them by the stem. The stem actually helps protect the pumpkin or other winter squash from pests or rot. If you accidentally rip a stem off, the squash will start rotting fairly quickly and is not a good candidate for long-term storage. To avoid this sad turn of events, carry winter squash holding their bottoms.
How to cure winter squash
If you’ve been hopping around blogs learning about winter squash, you’ve probably heard the turn “curing.” While it sounds fancy, it is really just leaving your harvested winter squash out in the sun for about a week (7-10 days). Super simple! The key here is warm, dry weather. If that is not possible (frost or rain forecasted), they can be cured in a greenhouse or warm (80-85F) window sill for 10 days.
If you live in a place with weather that yo-yos like ours, we’ve come to love these wire racks on wheels. We lay out the squash on them and roll them outside to sit in the sun. If rain or chill is in the forecast, we roll them right back into the garage. They also work great for curing garlic, onions, etc.
How to store winter squash
Once the winter squash is cured and the skins are nice and thick, it’s time to prepare a place to store them. Ideally, you will want a location that has moderate humidity and maintains a stable 50-55F. Most of us, however, don’t have a root cellar these days. The good news is they can be stored for several months even in less than ideal circumstances. For example, we store ours in our coldest room that is usually in the mid-60s throughout the winter. Set them in a single later (don’t stack!)
How long can will it store?
Different varieties of winter squash have different storage windows, but a simple check every couple of weeks will reveal the few that begin to rot or start going soft. We toss those for a treat to the chickens so that nothing goes to waste. As I mentioned in the introduction, we’ve had them last nearly to spring even in our less-than-ideal storage location. If you find that several are starting to turn at the same time, try making your own pumpkin or squash puree and freeze for future soups or baked goods.
Hope this has helped you learn how to harvest and store winter squash so you too can enjoy delicious soups, roasts, and purees all winter long. Below are some related blog posts for the fall season:
