can all kinds be stored? They will be in my basement which is always about 55 degrees in the winter is that too chilly? I can open heat vents, how do I store them? I had picked up lots of flat lengths of foam for a shelving unit we were going to build is that a bad idea? how to keep them buggy free? when do I pick em? I have about 10 different varieties.
2007-07-19 15:32:39 · 3 answers · asked by mommy to be of 3 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
55 degrees is a little cooler than necessary, but it should be fine. The main problems you will face are mold and rodents. If there's any chance that mice, squirrels, or rats can get in, set traps. In general, winter squashes store best if there's not a whole lot of humidity (but not too dry either), and it's dark. And don't let them freeze. The main thing to remember is to pick them when the shells turn the proper color for mature fruits of each variety, and the shells are hard (hard to put your finger nail through). Also, be sure to cut them from the vines so that there is about 1 1/2 inches of stem left at the top of each one. If you break them off and no stem is left on top, they will get moldy very quickly through the top scar. Be careful not to break the stem off in storage, or they will start to mold. You should be able to store them in such a place until about the end of January. Some will begin to mold by then, so whatever you haven't eaten by then, cut up and freeze to be sure. Good luck!
2007-07-20 01:39:05 · answer #1 · answered by Erika M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My husband an I live in an apartment and last winter we took our Buttercup squash, peeled them cut them up and put them right in the freezer, they did get a little freezer burnt but that didn't make much difference as when I bake something in the oven I wrap the frozen squash in foil and let it bake till done and mash them and all our squash were dry and fluffy.
Now for storing them whole, I was told by my father in law that if you have wood plank to put squash on in a cool dark area you shouldn't have problems. Make sure it is away from the heat and make sure they do not touch each other. If you have a husband that is handy then have him make you a cold storage room with vents and you can store veggies all year round. People use to get sand to put carrots in for the winter and ground for to store potatoes. There are so many old time things that was done to preserve veggies.
2007-07-19 22:51:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2007-07-19 22:44:39 · answer #3 · answered by glenn t 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋