Storing winter squash and pumpkins

I just posted a video about curing winter squash and pumpkins before storing them on my Facebook page and YouTube channel.

One thing you might be wondering about is the ideal conditions for storing them after the curing process.

The most ideal temperature is about 50 degrees F. (10 degrees C.). Choose a dark location that is dry so you don’t have any conditions that would promote mold. I like to store my squash and pumpkins in our basement, either on my wooden storage rack or on sheets of newspaper. The purpose is to keep them nice and dry.

I’ve heard of some folks storing theirs on the floor of a closet, so there’s an option for you as well. Some of the short-storing squash include spaghetti, ‘Delicata’ and acorn. Longer-storing varieties include pumpkins and Hubbard, ‘Sweet Meat’, butternut and ‘Lakota’ squash.

It’s important to have a good feel for how long the squash will keep in storage. The best thing is to keep an eye on everything. That way you can be sure there aren’t any mold or rot problems going on. And be sure to treat yourself often to roasted squash and homemade pumpkin pies!

If you’d like to know how to make a pumpkin pie from scratch, here’s a link to my video on the topic. It’s not difficult and the flavor is out of this world! I also wanted to let you know that I have a Preserving the Harvest on my website.