How to Harvest and Store Winter Squash and Pumpkins

If you have grown squash or pumpkins in your garden, then the last thing that you want is for that produce to go to waste.

Avoiding waste means thinking carefully about when and how you need to harvest your crop, and also how you should prepare these fruits for storage, and how you should store them for later use.

When To Harvest Squash and Pumpkins

Visual clues typically tell you whether or not winter squash or pumpkins are ready to harvest. Often, we can use color and glossiness to determine whether the variety we are growing is reaching maturity. Mature fruits can vary in color depending on the variety, but they are typically glossy and rich in hue.

We can also look at the stem above the fruit, which will have begun to turn hard and whither when the fruit is ready to harvest.

Additionally, we can use our other cues to determine if they are ready to harvest. For example, we can use a fingernail to see how hard the skin is. The skin of the ripe fruits should typically dent but not puncture when pressed with a nail. When we tap the fruits with our hand, they should sound hollow.

You can also keep track of when you sowed and planted your crop. The typical time to harvest can vary depending on type and variety and may vary with the weather in a given year, of course. But knowing the typical time to harvest for the type you are growing can generally help you understand the rough time when ripe fruits can be expected.

How to Harvest Squash and Pumpkins

To harvest squash and pumpkins that are mature, you need a gardening knife or pair of garden shears to cut through the tough stem. The tool you use should be sharp and clean to avoid making a ragged cut that can introduce rot or cause disease to render the fruit unfit for storage.

It is best to leave stems a few inches long on each squash or pumpkin to reduce the chances that the fruit will rot away quickly when placed in storage.

When harvesting the fruits, look them over carefully for any blemishes and problems. Any that have breached skins or other issues should be used up right away, while those that are intact can be prepared for and kept in longer-term storage.

Curing Winter Squash and Pumpkins

Before winter squash and pumpkins can be stored for the winter, they should be cured. This process simply involves placing them in a bright, warm, dry location to allow the skin to harden and dry out.

Curing is important as it allows the fruits to be kept for some time—often for several months. This process not only hardens the skin but also allows excess water to leave, concentrating natural sugars and leading to a sweeter flavor, as well as, again, increasing the length of time for which they can be stored.

In warmer and drier climates, squash and pumpkins can be cured outside or on a sunny porch, perhaps. But in cooler and wetter places, curing is best undertaken indoors or in a covered growing area such as a greenhouse or polytunnel.

Storing Winter Squash and Pumpkins

How long you can store winter squash or pumpkins will depend on the specific variety or varieties that you have chosen to grow. Some squash can be stored for much longer than others. However, many can be stored indoors in a cool, dry location for around three months, often longer than that.

While indoor temperatures that are higher can be okay, temperatures for storing winter squash and pumpkins should ideally be kept between 50 and 54 degrees Fahrenheit and no higher than 59 degrees Fahrenheit. A low-humidity environment is best, as higher humidity can lead to quicker spoilage.

If you are lucky enough to have a pantry, then this could be a good place to keep your squash or pumpkins in storage over the winter months. You can then ensure that you use the fruits as needed and don't let any of your hard work go to waste.