Winter squash Archives - Farm Homestead

Squash and Cross Pollination

October 23, 2017May 12, 2011 by Jodi Avery

Summer squash, winter squash, pumpkins and gourds belong to the Cucurbita family. Members of this family may cross-pollinate with each other. (Insects can bring pollen from other plants to female flowers.) However, the first year of a cross, the resulting fruit is completely normal looking and tasting. Only the end result seed carries the crossed …

Harvesting and Storing Winter Squash

August 23, 2017September 10, 2010 by Jodi Avery

Harvest winter squash no later than the 1st or 2nd light frost as fruit can be damaged with prolonged exposure to temperature under 50 degrees F. When mature, squash cannot be dented with a fingernail. Fruit should be fully mature before storage. Immature squash will spoil quickly. When cutting off the vine, leave 2″ of …