Winter Squash

[spyfferoni]

I can't believe how well Rouge Vif D'Etampes stores. I have one I picked up for free after Halloween and it still looks great. My Banana squash are looking good too. The Hubbard squash started to look like it was going bad so I had to hurry and cook it last month, and Sweet Meat is looking like it needs cooked pronto. I'll bake squash and then freeze it to use later. I'm the only one who'll eat it plain in my house, so I sneak it in soups and stews. It's really good in stewed beans.

Tyff

[barkeater]

I still have a giant spaghetti squash and numerous acorn squash in perfect condition. In 2005, my bumper crop of spaghetti squash lasted until the beginning of May.

However, the fancy-shmancy orange bush butternut squash rotted away by Christmas.

[Ruth_10]

I picked up seed for Guatemalan Blue and spaghetti squash from Sandhill. This is an act of faith on my part, as we have been hit hard with squash vine borers for the last three summers. It's really heartbreaking to watch the plants go down so fast. (I've tried going in after them, handpicking bugs, burying parts of the vine--it slows the carnage down but doesn't stop it. ). I like winter squash and would dearly love to have some for storage.

One thing I did discover with my Buttercup squash last summer after the vine borers got to it--there were softball size squashes on the vine and I picked them, sliced them into sticks, and dipped them in Ranch dressing (or whatever dip you have on hand) for snacking on. Delicious!

[mresseguie]

Hello, Ruth.

Last year in our community garden we were attacked by several nasty bugs-mostly cucumber beetles, but others as well. One of the gardeners brought out something new to most of us. It's called "Surround At Home". It is mixed with water, and sprayed on the plants. The results were nothing short of amazing.

I was so pleased, I ordered a #10 bag right away, which is probably too much.

Anyway, it's sold by Gardens Alive. It's a naturally occurring clay. It is sold in powder form. It needs to be mixed with water, and sprayed on; reapplied after rains or after there is new growth. It forms a coating that blocks the smell. (That's my understanding.)

It's organic; it is not a pesticide.

Here's a link for you.

http://www.gardensalive.com

[tjg911]

I have 15 Waltham butternut squash in good condition, picked late September, they typical store 6 months. Butternut squash have solid vines and stems so the squash vine borers do not attack them. I can't grow any hollow vined and stemmed squashes.

Surround works because the insects do not like the feeling of it in their mouths or on their feet. 10 pounds will not last too long because as you noted a heavy rain washes it off. Be very through cleaning your sprayer's nozzle. I'd like to use this so I can grow some other winter squashes but it seems like it's too much of a hassle to use and that's on trellised cucumbers, forget vining winter squashes by late July.

I am surprised that acorn squash are still holding up in storage! This type of winter squash is supposed to have a short storage life of about 3 or 4 months. A guy that grows it has told me his doesn't store much past mid December. I've never grown it.

Tom

[barkeater]

Hi Tom, I still have acorn squashes that turned completely orange 2 months ago still in great condition. I think because there is barely any humidity in the house all winter here, hardly anything rots. So where you are and where it is stored seems to play a big role. In a heated house seems to work better than in an unheated garage where it would be damper.

Also, its good to know Surround works on cucumber beetles. I haven't had them yet, but I know someone 20 miles south and 500 feet lower in elevation who does, so it is just a matter of time.

[Ruth_10]

The material Gardens Alive sells is kaolin clay (Kaopectate also contains kaolin clay!). Tom, my Waltham butternut squashes do not have solid stems and vines and the vine borers like them perfectly well. Maybe they just like the weather better here.

[maryinoregon]

Tyff,

Sweet Meat also makes nice pies. Last time I had a Sweet Meat Squash, I baked it, mashed it and put one pound of squash in each freezer bag, ready to use for pies.

maryinpnw

[tjg911]

Barkeater - interesting comment about the humidity. This winter I moved my butternut squash up from the basement when the temperature hit 55 into a cool closet and they are keeping much better than past years. I assumed it was temperature related because the basement is 50 degrees now while that closet is 60-62 which is a better storage temperature for butternut according to Johnny's. My basement is very dry, never had water in it but it is a walk out to the garage so it's likely to be more humid than upstairs especially with all the snow or rain on the car that is then in the garage. I love the northeast kingdom and now you tell me there's no cuke beetles there! HEAVEN!!
Ruth10 - I'm not an expert but I thought that all butternut squash have solid stems and vines? Seems that is what I have read. I have only grown 2 types of butternut and prefer Waltham over an earlier variety that matures in 85 or so days. I never grew bush butternut, is that what you grow or is it the vining type? Do you buy plants or start them from seeds? If they are plants I wonder if they are mislabeled?
Tom

[David52]

I store my squash on newspaper in the garage / greenhouse, and it is just now starting to go off. I have acorn squash from Johnny's thats turned a bright orange, and its so sweet.

We discovered something good this winter, what to do with the enormous banana squash and the Maria di Chiogga. Cut in half, scoop out the seeds, bake them, toss the skin, then mix, in a mixing bowl, with fresh lime juice, and spread the purée out on fruit leather sheets and dry it as if one were making fruit leather. The acid in the lime juice keeps it a bright color, and as it dries, there is a really good mix of flavor with the lime and squash. Keeps forever.