Thanks for posting to this thread, JAG. That makes me feel a little better. Yesterday, I went ahead and moved the plant into the larger "bucket". Best I can figure - it's either 12 or 16 gallons. Although it doesn't have drain holes in the bottom, I feel pretty confident that it'll do ok - as long as I can control the watering of it, and shield it from mother nature, when it rains. I had some mel's mix left over from the sfg, and that's what I filled it with. Thanks again, JAG EG

The curing that farmerdilla mentioned is important for storage. After your butternuts have reached their final size (it may vary between squash) they will usually turn a golden amber-brown. At that time or within weeks but before disease kills the vines you should cut the sqash leaving a few inches of stem on each squash. In dry weather you can usually leave them in the garden to completely dry the stem before bringing the squash in. In damp weather or if hard frost is forecast bring them to a spot you can cover them but uncover and spread them to allow the stems to continue drying. The flavor difference between a mature butternut and immature one is much like the difference between a zucchini and a sweet potato. I've grown many different winter squash and these are still my favorites. Enjoy your harvest but don't rush it.

I haven't grown squash in several years, maybe someone else here or on the veggie forum will be able to answer your question better than I can. For the first few frosts, which tend to be quick and to come in singles, I'd just cover any plants with unripe squash with several layers of newspaper, or a double layer of lightweight tarp or sheets, because leaving them on the vine is your best bet. I personally have never tried harvesting unripe ones, but if I did try it I'd bring in a good length of vine with each one and hope or pray for the best. Sorry I can't be more helpful, perennials and shrubs have invaded by old veggie garden to the point that I'm lucky to have a few tomatoes out there.

You really can't tell much about soil moisture, down in the pot, just by looking at the surface. It's not unusual for surface soil to be completely dry while moisture at the bottom of a large pot is near saturation levels. You should push your finger deep, down into the soil, or use a trowel to dig a small hole, to get a better idea of moisture levels down at root level. Moisture levels will depend on a lot of factors like how much water you use, drainage characteristics of the soil, temperature and humidity levels, and the volume of soil relative to the plant's daily water usage.