How To Store Pumpkins (Winter Squash)
GreenerMe asked on my previous post about growing pumpkins how long pumpkins could be stored for. It may surprise you that with proper care, the good storage varieties of pumpkins will keep for 6-12 months!
(Note when I say “pumpkin” here, I’m using Australian usage – North Americans please substitute your term “winter squash”.)
The key is in understanding what factors lead to deterioration of your pumpkins, and addressing those factors in your storage system.
Fungus and mold will develop on pumpkins if moisture is allowed to sit on their skins. If they get too hot or too cold, the skin will weaken and the flesh will start to break down. Damage (nicks, wounds, bruises) will give fungus and bacteria an entry point, and the pumpkin will turn rapidly.Vermin like rats and mice also love pumpkins and have been known to dig a tunnel into the center and set up a home inside! Harvesting Pumpkins For Storage Let your pumpkins ripen fully on the vine before picking them. Wait for the vine to begin dying back if you can, but you will need to pick them before you get a hard freeze. A light frost shouldn’t harm them; in fact many people claim it will harden their skins and prolong their shelf life.
Leave a long piece of stem attached to each pumpkin when you pick them. Don’t carry pumpkins by the stalk, and handle them carefully to avoid cuts and bruises. If the stalk is damaged or falls off, seal the attachment point by melting candle wax into it.
Leave the pumpkins in full sun for a couple of weeks before bringing them in for storage (cover or move them if it looks like rain). This will toughen the skin and improve their shelf life. The chook shed or dunny roof is the traditional place to harden off pumpkins! Storing Pumpkins Before storing your pumpkins, wipe their skin down with a soft rag soaked in olive oil. This will remove any dirt and foreign matter, and the thin layer of oil will help prevent moisture getting into the skin. If you are storing pumpkins for many months, repeat this wipe-down occasionally.
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