Topic: butternut squash

[gillcat]

Hi
I have planted 3 butternut squash plants that were given to me, and have a few squashes on them. My question is when do I harvest them? do I wait until the skins change to the cream colour? they are pale green at the moment. One is around 6 to 8 inches long.  I've never grown these before so any help would be greatly appreciated

[realfood]

Leave them till the plant dies down in September or October, before harvesting them and curing them for storage.

[aob9]

Lucky you, all of mine are failing to set so far.

[astraman1]

ive got 4 plants in 2 have about 2 on them one has none and the other has about 12 to 14 growing on it

everything ive read suggest harvesting them in oct when all the green has gone then you have dry them off before putting into storage

[GrannieAnnie]

Last year I waited until the stems turned almost brown  and dry then picked them before frost.
I'd hoped that all the green stripes on the fruits would have faded but some still had
faint green stripes visible in the tan shell. We ate any immediately if they had blemishes or weren't dry enough.

Bathed the good ones in 10 % bleach to kill molds, dried them, weighed them and labeled with weight and
whether there was green striping or not, drilled a hole in the stem, put a wire or paper clip through it
and hung them from nails in rafters in the basement leaving room for good air circulation.
We ate them into the Spring and it didn't seem to matter that there was slight green striping.

[gillcat]

Thank you all for the information I will leave them on then and wait till the leaves dry off.

[Susiebelle]

Thank you GrannieAnnie I will try your tips this year - never heard of the bleach thing before but do usually suffer with the mold around the stems.

[Jeannine]

Grannie Annie is absolutely right with her tips but may I just add one thing.Hanging them by their stem is pretty safe for small things but it is not a good idea for most.  Most bacteria gets in through the stem end and usually from the stem  being either cut too close, absent or using as a handle.As it ages it can get brittle depending on the variety and it could prove dangerous for some types.Hanging is great but nylon stockings/tights /pantyhose  is perhaps better as an overall bit of advice. Most butternuts would probably be OK but some varieties would get too heavy which would put too much strain on the stem.

Grannie, the stripes don't matter one bit, most butternuts don't have them, the one or two that do just blend in as they age.

The bleach is because often especially in the UK there us a lot of powdery mildew around as the season ends and the bleach kills the spores, all you need is a wipe down with a soft damp cloth with the bleach solution on...it doesn't leave ataste.

You need to cure them before storing, either in the sun or a warm place, till a fingernail stuck in the skin leaves no impression, then store in a cool place.

Golden rule..cure in warm, store in cool.Use the fingernail test to be sure.

The colour will change in storage to a lovely caramel color. with or without stripes depending on the type, and the flavour will get better as the starch turns to sugar, they are not as nice fresh.

The question re when to pull is one I get asked all the time.Ideally leave them in the field/garden till the plant withers and dies,which could be September to Novenber  however if a frost comes along pull them out whenever that is is.If they do get powdery mildew, the fruit cannot get any more nourishment  from the plant so it is better to pull them,the mildew can get into the fruit if left too long but rarely happens, the bleach ensures this.

Oh and if you have tiny immature ones on the vine use them as summer squash,use the ones who do not pass he fingernail test the same way as they won't store.

XX Jeannine

[Chrispy]

I have some Bon Bon squash.
Some of the fruits are full size and the stems are starting to go woody, so I am sure they are ripe enough.

Is there any reason to leave them on the plant for any longer?
Also, if I take them off, any chance the plant will produce more? I've got 6 plants but only 10 fruit which is a bit disappointing.

[Jeannine]

Mature they should be about 4 pounds, you can take them off whenever you like, you can use them as summer squash in immature, but f you want them to store they need to fully mature and cured. A fingernail won't leave an impression if cured, the stem is not a real good clue.

There is nothing to be gained after they mature.

After picking they are best left for some time as they will not be so sweet if eaten straight away.

XX Jeannine

[GrannieAnnie]

I've posted this picture before but wanted to show part of the butternut crop hanging from about 2 inch dry stems though
a few had shorter stems due to damage- yet not one fell and they hung into Spring.

I won't however be hanging my Crown Prince or any of the other large types though- have some slings rigged up for them instead made of bird netting.

[Susiebelle]

Something to be proud of GrannieAnnie - if only they were mine!
How many plants did you grow and what variety - I live in hope!

[GrannieAnnie]

Something to be proud of GrannieAnnie - if only they were mine!
How many plants did you grow and what variety - I live in hope!

Last year we had about 8-9 butternut plants I believe. This year I've stuck them in everywhere in the yard just to see where they'd do best, maybe have 22 winter squash plants or more- I actually lost count because kept finding places to try them so would poke in a few more seeds here and there in shady areas. And they ALL survived. Of course now the yard looks like a jungle as they've covered bushes, arbors, gate, some perennial flower beds, and up some trees. 5 varieties but mainly butternuts since they seem impervious to borers. Am trying some of 1066's Queensland Blue and Crown Prince, plus Honeyboat and Confection but the last two have some borer problems.  All of them get watered and sometimes I'd put up an umbrella or cardboard to shade the ones that were suffering so you could say they've been  a wee bit coddled ;D

[Susiebelle]

Gosh very impressive GranieAnnie, I only have 6 but because 4 of them are Bon Bon they seem to be taking over my Lotti.  I have only heard of Crown Prince so will have to research the others - perhaps I need to try other varieties

[GrannieAnnie]

Gosh very impressive GranieAnnie, I only have 6 but because 4 of them are Bon Bon they seem to be taking over my Lotti.  I have only heard of Crown Prince so will have to research the others - perhaps I need to try other varieties

I just read that Crown Prince is earlier than butternut so is preferred in the UK. They've made a cross between the two and called it Autumn Crown Prince (I think?) which is supposed to be the color of the butternut but earlier.
So many choice, so little space! I hope you get enough rain to give you a good crop.

[Digeroo]

I have one very stripey one indeed I think it got crossed with a zebra.  It will be very interesting to watch whether or not they fade. 

It is rather odd because I am growing a few each of cobnut, harrier and hunter all of which are F1 hybirds, so where did the strpey number come front.

I have never washed my BNS and they always keep ok.  On one allowment a lot of the courgettes and squash have mildew on the leaves.  It is rather odd since he has carefully sunk pots next to each plant so the water goes down to the roots.  The thought of eating something washed in bleach puts me right off.   I do not even like cleaning the sink with as it is makes the drains smell.

[GrannieAnnie]

I have never washed my BNS and they always keep ok.  On one allowment a lot of the courgettes and squash have mildew on the leaves.  It is rather odd since he has carefully sunk pots next to each plant so the water goes down to the roots.  The thought of eating something washed in bleach puts me right off.   I do not even like cleaning the sink with as it is makes the drains smell.

The bleach smell goes completely away. A brother in law lived in Saudi Arabia once and they had to even wash their lettuce in bleach to keep from getting some diseases!