Topic: Storing Squash and Pumpkins?

[Mortality]

I bought a large Butternut Squash yesterday from my local veg shop, so I could cook with it and save the seeds to grow. ;D
I though it would be fine in the kitchen, but this morning because it's been so cold (-3) ive just noticed a crack running the whole length of the fruit.  :o
So for future reference (when ive grown some) where should I store them? ???

[BarriedaleNick]

Probably just a sudden change in temperature - well maybe.  Mine are fine in the garage.  Is it really -3 in your kitchen :o
The squash may or may not come true - I tried growing some saved seed last year and the resulting fruit bore no resemblence to the original!

[Mortality]

Yup brass monkeys in the kitchen, its an old house with kitchen and bathroom tagged on the back at a later date.
Yeah Ive read they might not come true, im just curious to see what I might get now !

[Mortality]

Also, the squash cost me £2.50 (it is big) and from what I can see some seed sites 10 butternut squash seeds could cost me that alone.
From the squash I have, I should get more than 10 seeds from it, leaving me plenty of seeds to practice with if I mess up the growing.

[Digeroo]

Some of my squash got too cold in the garage.  The ones in the ktchen are fine.  They usually rot, never had one split.

The butternut squash in this country are now bred to produce fruit quicker.  Superkmarket ones are imported from warmer places.  But having said that the best ones I ever grew came from a supermarket fruit.  Unfortuneately they produced no seed. 

[GrannieAnnie]

Mine are hanging from the ceiling in the basement (though someone warned the stem might fall off this has not happened.)  Contentment is walking into a dark basement and seeing a slew of butternuts hanging!

Most of them were picked as the stems turned brown though when I drilled a hole for the paper clip to hang them from, green sawdust came out so the stems apparently weren't completely dried. Someone warned that rot would enter through the hole but that did not happen.

Most squashes were then dipped in bleach solution and dried off.  No mold problems yet and they taste good.

I also weighed and labeled each along with data about how ripe they appeared, whether the green stripe was still visible and if so how many inches of stripe, and how the stem appeared to see which would rot first.  As of January, they're all doing the same. 

I'll try growing some different varieties next yr. along with these. I was also thinking as you mentioned about buying a squash at the farmers market which gets some exotics and just see what they'd produce.

[Mortality]

Chopped it up, made a Chocolate Butternut Squash Cake and a Butternut Squash, Broccoli and Bacon Gratin, oh and the seeds are drying on a plate.  ;D
Its a hard life having to use it so soon  :P

[1066]

I remember hearing bob Flowerdew saying that he stored pumpkins and squash in tights suspended from the ceiling
Yet to try that one myself......

[Suzanne]

Mine are in the shed - walked the 3/4 mile to the allotment this morning and I think the -11 C we experienced this year got through the shed. May have frozzed them. Bit of a killer I still had a good 20 left. Oh well will wait and see if the ones I have bought down are still okay.

[saddad]

I need to get mine checked too... remember thaw one out to see if they are damaged... and if they are they will still soup if you are quick... after all pumpkin flesh can be frozen...  :)