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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: RenishawPhil on September 18, 2012, 14:25:30

Title: When Should i pick my Squash, frost etc...
Post by: RenishawPhil on September 18, 2012, 14:25:30
Am wondering when i should be thinking about harvesting my winter sqaush, the is a chance the could be some frost around this next few days.

Will they be ok, should i just leave them for a few more weeks or are people harvesting theirs now?
Title: Re: When Should i pick my Squash, frost etc...
Post by: strawberry1 on September 18, 2012, 18:31:57
I have taken the three big ones off and am hoping for some fine weather so that the small ones get bigger. The big ones had turned yellow but the little ones are still green. They are now on a wooden outside cill on the south side and under a shelter. If I had a lot of a decent size, like last year, then I would be cutting half at least. Hedging my bets I suppose
Title: Re: When Should i pick my Squash, frost etc...
Post by: Doris_Pinks on September 18, 2012, 21:52:15
leaving mine, they can take a light frost if they are ripe. I do the thumbnail test, if they pierce easily, they are not cured n ready for storage, having said that, in certain years, if it looks like a heavy frost I have picked em, (leaving a fair bit of stalk) and ripened them on my sunny windowsill to cure them. We love squash, though sadly not a good year or me this year :-(
Title: Re: When Should i pick my Squash, frost etc...
Post by: debbilove on September 18, 2012, 23:14:31
This is my first year of growing squash and have managed to grow about 7 red urchiki kuri squash over my rose arch and up trellis at home. I have some that are defo ready and some that are still very under ripe. I plan on harvesting the ones that look like they are ready by the end of next week as I have noticed the chill in the air and I am scared of a frost damaging all the hard work!
Title: Re: When Should i pick my Squash, frost etc...
Post by: Digeroo on September 19, 2012, 06:39:36
I have started covering mine in fleece and net curtains.  The frost goes through the nets but the fleece tends to blow off, so taken to using both at the same time.
Title: Re: When Should i pick my Squash, frost etc...
Post by: shirlton on September 19, 2012, 06:44:57
I took 4 of mine home last week. Have some small butternut and will bring the home today. They were green last year when I picked them but mine also ripened on the windowsill.
Title: Re: When Should i pick my Squash, frost etc...
Post by: staris on September 19, 2012, 08:16:31
bad year for me with squash i grew crown prince and they only started to fruit about a month ago so the squash are still small.
Title: Re: When Should i pick my Squash, frost etc...
Post by: TheEssexYorkshireman on September 19, 2012, 08:38:06
I never had any trouble growing squashes but I've failed miserably over the last 2 years to produce any(!) BNSs. However, I've cracked it this year. Whilst I'm not inundated I do have 6 perfectly formed squashes which are now ripe for the picking. I did nothing different this year so why have I succeeded?

TEYman
Title: Re: When Should i pick my Squash, frost etc...
Post by: kippers garden on September 19, 2012, 19:56:06
I leave mine out as long as I dare and then I put them in the greenhouse for a while.  If it's a bit cold at night I cover them in fleece, but I will bring in before we have a frost