Preserve the Harvest: Storing Winter Squash
One of the best things about winter squash is that you don’t need a freezer to preserve it. When properly cured and stored, varieties such as butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash can keep for weeks or even months.
How to Cure & Store Winter Squash
- Harvest carefully. Choose mature, undamaged squash and leave a few inches of stem attached. Avoid carrying squash by the stem.
- Don’t wash it before storage. Brush away loose soil instead. Excess moisture can encourage spoilage.
- Cure when appropriate. Many winter squash varieties benefit from spending about 7–14 days in a warm, dry, well-ventilated location after harvest. Acorn squash is an exception and generally shouldn't be cured.
- Move to a cool, dry location. Store squash somewhere with good airflow, ideally around 10–13°C (50–55°F). Avoid damp basements or anywhere it may freeze.
- Give them some breathing room. Keep squash in a single layer rather than piled together so air can circulate.
- Check regularly. Use any squash showing soft spots, damage or deterioration first and discard anything that has begun to rot.
Homestead Tip: Different squash varieties have different storage lives, so think of your squash stash as something to work through over the fall and winter rather than something that will all last until spring.