Long Storage Squash

[digitS']

We still have 2 or 3 spaghetti squash left from the garden and still in pretty good shape... We only had 1 ripe butternut last year so going to have to find another variety that may be faster to mature.

We have 1 or 2 to keep late, 1 or 2 to eat early. As I said somewhere, about half of the spaghetti squash didn't get beyond green before frost. They were the generic spaghetti.

Oh. But, maybe you were referring to Butternut.

I really only eat the spaghetti squash, I like the others ok but don’t eat them much. I would like to find one that will grow here dependably and I enjoy eating more regular.

I'm still not sure !

Well, here is a 2020 idea for the spaghetti squash patch:

What about Small Wonder spaghetti squash? Lots of outfits sell the seed. 80 days to maturity ... that must be early even for an acorn, right? I am trying to give this type a fair shake but they are new to me.

Steve

 

[henless]

Wow, @henless !

I'm checking those out ..

, even if the environment here is very different from the one you have experienced this (& last ) growing season.

Steve

The Cherokee are very similar to the Seminole hanging pumpkin. I've never tried the Seminole, but people who have grown both say there are differences between the two.

I got mine from Deep South Homestead on Etsy. I think they have some up on their store now. If you want, I'd be happy to send you some of mine. They are saved from last year, so can't guarantee if they are viable or not.

My only complaint with them is that the flesh isn't very thick. Since I normally don't store my pumpkins whole, I don't need them to last a long time. I plan on planting some sugar pumpkins this spring and see which I like better.

 

[misfitmorgan]

I'm so confused on a few levels here....

First your in zone 5/6 and are saying you cant grow a lot of squash types (like butternut) because the season isnt long enough??? Butternut squash is only 95 days until harvest, in zone 5 or 6 you should have between 130 to 175 days of growing season.

I am zone 5B and have successfully grown acorn, spaghetti, butternut, delicata, and hubbard squashes. Also successfully grown watermelon and cantaloupe. Also several pumpkin varieties like krunchkin, blue doll, warty goblin, cinderella, fairytale, and Connecticut field pumpkins. The lady down the road even grows giant pumpkins which are 120 days til harvest.

So what am I missing here?

 

[flowerbug]

I'm so confused on a few levels here....

First your in zone 5/6 and are saying you can grow a lot of squash types (like butternut) because the season isnt long enough??? Butternut squash is only 95 days until harvest, in zone 5 or 6 you should have between 130 to 175 days of growing season.

I am zone 5B and have successfully grown acorn, spaghetti, butternut, delicata, and hubbard squashes. Also successfully grown watermelon and cantaloupe. Also several pumpkin varieties like krunchkin, blue doll, warty goblin, cinderella, fairytale, and Connecticut field pumpkins. The lady down the road even grows giant pumpkins which are 120 days til harvest.

So what am I missing here?

i'm thinking that it just may get too hot for them and they fry... that is my guess...

 

[misfitmorgan]

i'm thinking that it just may get too hot for them and they fry... that is my guess...

I don't know because someone mentioned something about it not maturing before frost would have got it...hence my confusion

 

[seedcorn]

We are a very deep, confusing lot. Takes years of education to keep up with our thoughts.....

 

[misfitmorgan]

We are a very deep, confusing lot. Takes years of education to keep up with our thoughts.....

I guess so!!! I'm still wondering about this squash thing though

If you can grow butternuts or hubbard they can be kept the longest in my experience. Our record so far is mid-april, it may have made it longer but it was the last squash and I cooked it.

http://nwedible.com/storing-winter-squash/
This blog post is almost identical to how I do my squashes with the exception of the boxes. We have a ton of raw wooden shelves in our basement for canned goods (home or store bought) so I just lay down clean card board and lay the squashes out on the shelves with about 2 inches between each. I put them in the corner farthest away from the furnace. I check them about every 2 weeks. We didnt put in a garden at all this year so no squash

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

in my experience winter squash should be cured for a while after picking to make sure any injuries during picking/moving will callous over before being put into storage. in storage they need some air flow - if stacked too closely it seems like the fungi get going.

some people go as far as washing them with bleach water but we've never done that.

after a few months they are usually gone here, but i don't mind cooking them up and putting portions in the freezer for later eating.

If storing yellow squash or zucchini in the refrigerator, do not wash the squash before storing. They are best stored in a plastic bag that has had a few holes poked in it for airflow, and then placed in the vegetable crisper drawer.

 

[digitS']

I wash most everything before bringing it into the house, one exception would be a handful of herbs.

Another exception is the winter squash but I have been adding days to their "curing" outdoors and in the garage in recent years. I'm still uncertain about the curing process and how it differs from just putting them on basement shelves as @misfitmorgan describes. Also, I may be motivated by the avoidance of the work carrying them down those basement steps. Brushing loose soil off them before carrying them down is easy after curing, anyway.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm still uncertain about the curing process and how it differs from just putting them on basement shelves as @misfitmorgan describes.

Just thinking out loud Steve, I don't know. You never want winter squash to freeze, but maybe cool weather is important to that curing process. I'd also think you'd want it really dry where they are curing and storing. Many basements aren't that dry.