Butternut squash

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I have butternut growing. So far we have not had a freeze, but did get to 37. Next week we might have another 30 something. If they call for a freeze or frost, should I just pick the squash and bring in? I am not sure if I can cover all the vines. Will they finish ripening inside?

 

[digitS']

I quoted NC State several years ago as I was trying to learn how to keep winter squash longer, indoors.

LINK

"Curing" is not really happening for me yet. The carport may be a good location for them but they would be competing for space needed for some other post-gardening activities. But, I guess they need to be protected from "frost on the pumpkin."

It seems really unlikely that I can protect them easily from NCSU's "below 40°" just as I failed through the growing season in protecting them from "below 50°."

BTW - the Autumn Crown has done well, setting more fruit as the season went on. We ate that first one and brought a 2nd Buttercup home this week to be baked .

Steve

 

[flowerbug]

we brought the squash up from the gardens last week, they've been sitting out to cure a little more before we brought them into the garage yesterday (to avoid rains that were in the forecast). buttercup and punkin cross (some have orange in them) and they are our favorites. once it gets colder outside enough to risk freezing in the garage we'll bring them inside or i'll cook them up or we've given them away, but they're usually good until Jan-Feb if they've not begun rotting inside.

this year with all the rains we've had late the first five squash we cooked up had something going on. one i threw away as it smelled like vinegar (never had that before in many hundreds of squash), the others i could scrape out what was "off" and we enjoyed them. i baked them in the oven and then when we wanted to eat one i scrape it out heat it all up again, add butter/cheese/hot sauce/whatever...

we still have so much squash in the freezer from last year that perhaps we'll skip next year if we don't get more of it eaten. i love squash, but to me freezer is out of sight out of mind kind of thing.

 

[flowerbug]

as to original question, i try to keep them from having a hard frost on them before getting them in. when the stem is dead they're ready to be picked. otherwise when young i treat them like a summer squash (i.e. eat fairly soon).

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

It seems really unlikely that I can protect them easily from NCSU's "below 40°" just as I failed through the growing season in protecting them from "below 50°."

Steve

I think there has been about 20 days of under 50 at night and a few 50 to 55. They look pretty immature out there.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

According to digitS link, really they are not better off being out in the garden. It is only in the 40s at night.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

as to original question, i try to keep them from having a hard frost on them before getting them in. when the stem is dead they're ready to be picked. otherwise when young i treat them like a summer squash (i.e. eat fairly soon).

I had planned on bringing them in and cooking and preparing as baby food and freezing, but I am not sure if they will be good for baby food if they are not mature squash.

 

[flowerbug]

I had planned on bringing them in and cooking and preparing as baby food and freezing, but I am not sure if they will be good for baby food if they are not mature squash.

they'll be pretty bland i think, but it could depend upon the type of squash too.

i'm glad it's not been that cold yet here. i hope you have a few more weeks there for them to mature!

 

[digitS']

The Autumn Crown I mentioned is a C. moschata, like the Butternut.

I won't be taking them out of the garden until frost threatens.

It would be a sad commentary on my garden environment if I can't even get to the first day of Autumn and have a squash with that name ...

Steve

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

Well, I think we will be having some 30s in a few days. They are still in the garden, but I am pulling old plants and starting to clean the garden up. The squash are very immature looking. I think DD would be better off buying quality organic vegetables for baby food and not these.