It is late autumn, and the first hard frost looms. Your vines is loaded with heavy, hard-shelled fruit. Time to bring the squash inside before freezing occurs. But will they hold till wintertime, or will they go soft soon? Race against the clock!
And not all winter squash keep equally well. Knowing which ones do (and don’t) makes planning your harvest time more like making a schedule then picking in a panic. Move from a rushed harvest to careful timing. Which squash lasts longer? The storage life chart will save you from wasting a few. (That’s what this all about.)
How to Store Winter Squash
It divides up the squash based off their longevity: How many months do they hold up well if stored properly (cool and dry)? For example, the tough-skinned Hubbards and Blue Hubbards rate as elite keepers, lasting five to eight months. At the other end: Spaghetti and acorn squash is short-keepers, with thin skins and higher water content. Use them within a couple of months.
Knowing that will tell you which ones gets picked off the vine first. Wait awhile with those tougher guys. The species group determines storage life. Butternut, Hubbard and kabocha and buttercup varieties (the maxima types) has rugged rinds that make them suitable for cold storage. Delicata and acorn (both pepo types) tend to be more delicate and have shorter storage lives. According to the reference grid, the maxima varieties keep longer.
Consider this when thinking about how your kitchen will work: If you’re planning to freeze some puree, or can a batch of soup, plan to use Hubbard, or butternut first. During processing they’ll stand up better. They don’t lose their taste.
For immediate meal preparation, try sugar pie pumpkin or perhaps delicata (smaller, easy-to-hold variety). They are not as durable in terms of storage time.
Most home growers get curing wrong. They do not allow the fruit to harden off; they simply plunk their fresh squashs in the basement. Nope. Pick the fruit when it is hard. This means the rind should be hard. If you can scratch skin with your fingernail, it is not ready.
Not there yet? Wait. Now set them in a warm, dry location to cure for a week or two, keeping the humidity moderate rather than soggy. The little nicks will heal over and the skin will begin to get tough. It’s this process that makes for a long lasting squash or a month-long goner.
Don’t wash your squash before storing, water means rot. Just wipe clean and keep stem attached. A broken stem lets bacteria in.
Once cured, move the winter squash into the cellar. The ideal conditions is 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have an unheated garage or a dry basement that isn’t too wet, this is fine. Moderate humidity, not sodden. Examine inventory monthly. Gently turn fruit. Discard any soft ones. A bad one will rot the others.
How does variety make a difference when cooking? Squash with dense, dry flesh (Buttercup; Kabocha) roast up nicely, says the chart. Their dense flesh holds form when cut in wedges. They caramelize readily.
Silky, moist varieties (Sugar Pie; Butternut) is great for soup. Puree them into soft mush. They are great for baby food or bisque.
Not sure where each will fit? You can save time by not trying different recipes and hoping they come out well. Know ahead of time. Chart lists combinations. Plan your meals around what you grow.
Winter squash takes a long time. Wait until fruit matures. Wait until fruit cures. Wait until you need it. The payoff is food that lasts into cold months.
What about hard rinds? Do they matter? How do you cure it well? Where do you store it? Here’s how. You can get good squash in February.