By Jesica Conrad
Beltrami County Master Gardener
When is the best time to harvest squash to get the best flavor? Or
which squash should I grab in the grocery store? How can I keep the pumpkin fresh 'til Halloween? With this past cool summer limiting production, effective storage is doubly important.
Depending on the type, squash is harvested at different maturities. Summer squash, such as crookneck or zucchini, is
harvested and used while still immature and tender. Size affects the quality and flavor of the fruit. Leaving large fruit on the vine causes the plant to decline faster and to produce fewer fruit. Cut the squash from the plant, being careful not to damage the vine.
Prevent the spread of diseases by harvesting these tender squash when the leaves are dry.
A great source of Vitamin A, pumpkins and winter squash are
harvested when mature. The old standby “ripe test” is to press
against the skin with a thumbnail; the skin should be hard and not easily punctured. The development of a yellow spot where the pumpkin or squash rests on the ground is also a sign of ripeness. If the skin resists puncture by a thumbnail and has developed a yellow to orange spot, then it is ready to be harvested.
Even if it kills the vine, winter squash and pumpkins will not be
harmed by a light frost. If a hard frost is expected, harvest the
fruit by cutting them off with a piece of vine attached. The key is to keep only fully mature squash. Allowing them to cure in a warm, dry place (75 - 80 degrees) for about ten days toughens their skin and increases the length of storage time. They should then be stored under dry conditions between 50 and 55ºF. It’s best if they are stored in 50 – 70% humidity, hard to get in Minnesota winters. Check them every few weeks and discard any that have mold or are deteriorating. Winter squash should last from 3-6 moths. Thankfully, I have been lucky enough to eat winter squash well into March stored in less than optimal conditions.
Make sure that pumpkins you select for storage are in as perfect
condition as possible. While on the vine, if the skin of a pumpkin is cut, bacteria can enter, causing rot. Sometimes a pumpkin can heal a cut by producing corky, tan, callus tissue. The pumpkin won't look as perfect, but should be safe from spoilage.
Pumpkins can be "cured" outside for about two weeks after they turn orange, and then moved indoors to a storage area. Put a tarp or a cardboard box over them if there is a threat of frost while they are curing. Store the pumpkins indoors once they're cured to prevent rot from being in contact with moist soil or damage by little or large gnawing creatures. There is nothing more disappointing that waiting just one more night to find a deer has hollowed out one’s prize pumpkin(except waiting just one more night for the best tomato of your life to find it chewed up by a marauding chipmunk).
Like other winter squash, pumpkins require cool, dry storage,
between 50 and 60º F at a relative humidity of 60% to 70%. Unheated basements are often just right for storing pumpkins. A thermometer in the storage area will help you be sure conditions are right. Make sure the pumpkins are dry when they go into storage by wiping each one off with a towel. Good ventilation can be achieved by leaving the door of the storage room open or by opening a window. A garage or shed may also provide fair conditions, but is likely to be warmer during the day and colder at night than a basement, so the pumpkins may not last as long.
Squash and pumpkins herald the end of the growing season but the
promise of the sun and the garden are in every bite eaten all the
dark winter long.
