Harvesting and Storing Squash
Enjoy the best flavor by harvesting squash at its peak.
Pick zucchini when the fruit is 6-8 inches long, not the size of a baseball bat. Harvest scalloped squash, like patti pans, when they are 3 to 6 inches in diameter. Summer squash taste best when small and can be used fresh, fried or for baking.
You can store summer squash in a plastic bag in the vegetable crisper drawer in your refrigerator for several days.
Harvest winter squash when the fruit is full sized and the rinds are firm and glossy. The portion touching the ground turns from cream to orange when the fruit is ripe. Use a pruner to harvest the fruit, leaving a one inch stem on each fruit.
Cure all winter squash, except for acorn, in a warm humid location. Then move to a cool, dry well-ventilated area to store for several months.
A bit more information: Check summer squash plants regularly. Fruit are ready to harvest in just 4 to 8 days after flowering.
Related
Audio
Categories
Upcoming Live Events
& Webinars
April 17, 2024
Landscaping for Birds:
A Gardener’s Perspective
Glendale, WI
April 18, 2024
Be a Waterwise Gardener
Golden Rondelle Theater, Racine, WI
Register now
April 20, 2024
Pruning Hydrangeas and Other Shrubs
Pasquesi Home & Gardens, Lake Bluff, IL
April 27, 2024
Ridges & Rivers Book Festival
Viroqua, WI
April 28, 2024
Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 1, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Ornamental Fruits and Vegetables
Register now
May 4, 2024
Garden U 2024
New Richmond, WI
Register now
May 9, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
How to Plant Your Rain Garden
Register now
May 11, 2024
Ask The Plant Doctor Q & A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 12, 2024
Ask The Plant Doctor Q & A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 18, 2024
Ask The Plant Doctor Q & A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
June 1, 2024
Selecting, Planting, Pruning and Caring for Hydrangeas
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
June 5, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Under-Appreciated Pollinators
Register now
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
Learn More