Winter Squash: Peak Flavor Chart

Winter Squash Curing & Storage

Curing and storage times for winter squash at its best flavor and eating quality

In this guide

Winter squash types differ in how long they need to cure after harvest, how long until they taste their best, and how long before quality starts to drop.

Whether your squash is for your own table, a farmers market, a farmstand or CSA shares, it helps to know when each squash and edible pumpkin is at its peak.

Top ˆ
A few mini ornamental edibles.
Assorted small edible ornamental squash
If you can't wait to dig into the fall squash, a good rule is to eat spaghetti squash and the smallest squash first.
Harvesting the Winter Squash Trials at Hensley’s Seed Co.
Bringing in squash from the Hensley’s winter squash trials

When to harvest each type of winter squash

Good eating quality begins with picking at the right time. Many winter squash look ripe before they really are. For the best squash, wait until every type is fully mature, at least 50–55 days after fruit set, but always pick before the first fall frost.

  • Spaghetti: pick once the fruit turns deep yellow.
  • Acorn: pick when the spot where the fruit rests on the ground turns dark orange.
  • Delicata and dumpling: pick when the spot where the fruit rests on the ground turns dark orange.
  • Hubbard, kabocha and buttercup: a dry, corky stem is a good sign the fruit is mature.
  • Butternut: pick when the fruit is evenly tan (except 'Honeynut', which keeps ripening and coloring in storage).
Top ˆ

About Curing Winter Squash

  1. Once the fruit is cut from the vine, cure it for 5–7 days, outdoors in full sun or indoors at 80–85°F (27–29°C) with fans or plenty of air movement.
  2. Then move it to cool, dry storage for the rest of any curing time.
Top ˆ

Recommended Storage Conditions

Storage life comes down to conditions. Keep squash at 50–60°F (10–15°C) with 50–70% relative humidity and steady air movement. Temperatures under 50°F (10°C), particularly if repeated, can cause chilling injury and cut storage time short.

Top ˆ

Storage timing: which squash to eat when

Certain squash types need some time in storage after harvest before they taste their best. Use the chart below as a general guide to how each type of winter squash should be cured and how long it can be stored.

Curing and storage chart for winter squash
KeySee the KEY    Months after maturity or harvest
TYPE   1 Mo   2 Mo   3 Mo   4 Mo   5 Mo   6 Mo  
Acorn: most types       2½      
Acorn: 'Night Shift' 4    
Acorn: 'Starry Night' 4    
Acorn: 'Tuffy' 1   3    
Spaghetti: every type 2  
Butternut (Mini): 'Butterscotch PMR' 3  
Butternut (Mini): 'Butterbaby' and 'Honeynut' 1     3½    
Delicata: most types         3½      
Hubbard: 'Red Kuri'       3½      
Hubbard: 'Blue Ballet' and 'North Georgia Candy Roaster' 1 4  
Kabocha: 'Sunshine'   4    
Kabocha: 'Cha Cha'; 'Mambo'; 'Sweet Jade'; 'Marmalade' 1 5  
Buttercup: most types 1   5  
Kabocha: 'Winter Blush'; 'Winter Sweet'
   1½   6
Specialty: 'Tetsukubuto' 1 6
Butternut: most types   2 (Eat the smaller ones first, then the larger, over 3–6+months after harvest)
 
key    KEY Curing Period Best eating window
 
Top ˆ

Learn More


Top ˆ
Top ˆ