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Vegetable Gardening

butternut squash question

16 years ago

This is my first year for growing butternut squash and one plant has done very well. Almost too big. I have about 7 large squash that look almost ready to be picked. They are turning a pale yellow color but still have green lines down the sides.

Do I wait for the green lines to go away completely? Do the squashes just keep on growing if I don't pick them?

Also, could someone answer about the shelf-life of a butternut squash? Are these best used within a few days of picking or can they sit around for a week or two and still be alright?

Thanks, and BTW: I read here that Butternut Squash is resistant to Squash Vine Borers (SVB's) and this most definitely must be true. You see, right next to the butternut squash I had a huge healthy Cucumber plant that was covered with blossoms, fruit and thick, dark green leaves. It fell ill, then the stem just broke off when I checked it. Little black worm-like bugs (I assume SVB's) were infesting the stem making it look like swiss cheese. I was so mad....next year I'll have a new pest to try to thwart.

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Comments (8)

farmerdilla
16 years ago
Butternuts are a winter squash. While they can be used in the very immature stage as a summer squash, It is best to let them fully mature as winter squash. They are very good keepers and will hold in a cool dry place for six months or more. When ready to pick, they will be a solid tan with a hard skin. I usually leave them until the vines die, but they can be picked when the skin is hard and the stem is dry. They are better if allowed to cure for a couple of weeeks before using.

Don't know what took out your cucumbers, but does not sound like SVB. You rarely see them unless you split open an infested squash stem. Never had them bother cukes.
barrie2m_(6a, central PA)
16 years ago
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.
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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
16 years ago
Usually there are few pests to bother butternut fruits. Last year some bugger drilled holes in the bottom [ground side] of many of mine before I harvested them. So it isn't a bad idea to place something under the nearly ripe fruits to keep them off the ground.
Macmex
16 years ago
Wayne, I suspect that's a pest called a pickle worm. I've seen it a couple times and it is a real bummer!

George
dottyinduncan
16 years ago
A further question: if you pick a butternut squash now, can it be cured so that the flavour develops? I have always waited until close to frost before harvesting, but I have lots of ripe squash now and would love to eat one.
farmerdilla
16 years ago
IF its ripe.Yes. An unripe one won't cure.
thatcompostguy
16 years ago
I once had a butternut sitting on my kitchen counter for 2 years before I cut it open. It had dehydrated inside a good bit, but still had some moist pulp as well. I didn't eat it. Just got tired of moving it around. After a while it was sort of an experiment to see how long it would last. I gave up and decided it lasted long enough.
winane
16 years ago
I pick my winter squashes off the vine when i see that the stem becomes woody and when i can no longer puncture the skin with my finger nail. Then I let them cure for a few weeks in a cool area of the house. Then they can be stored for several months. I've stored some for over a year in a cool spot of the house.

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