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Post by bluelacedredhead on Jan 26, 2008 9:23:09 GMT -5
We have 3 Green Striped Cushaw, a wire basket (1/2 bushel size perhaps? )of approximately 12 Black Futsu and another, say, 3/4 bushel left of Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato Squash in a 55F corner of the basement.
Last night, I found the first Thelma Sanders with soft spots. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Not furry yet. More like an odd shaped bowling ball, once I stuck my fingers into the soft spots, LOL.
The Futsu seem in for the long haul. And frankly, I'm surprised that the Cushaw haven't succumbed to rot yet?
How are your keepers keeping??
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Post by Alan on Jan 26, 2008 11:29:27 GMT -5
I've got a couple of Dickenson Pumpkins still yet that haven't even started to get close to showing signs of aging, there still holding right in there. I've also got a couple of festival acorn squash still going strong, and a burgress buttercup or two still holding form.
Cushaws usually hold pretty well, you might make them last even untill the end of Febuary or so, it's hard to say.
-alan
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Post by grungy on Jan 26, 2008 17:00:47 GMT -5
Blue,
We have had squash last more than 16 month in a basement. By chance did you wipe them down with a bleach solution (1:8) and dry completely? Helps kill mold spores. Also perhaps you could arrange to store them either in a single layer or put 2 layers of cardboard between layers of squash so that the squash can "breathe" (expell any excess moisture) and if it was me I would move the squash away from the corner so that there is air circulation. Hope this helps.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Jan 26, 2008 20:03:37 GMT -5
Grungy, That's an awfully long time to save a squash!! Do you have any tomatoes that rival that??  I cured mine before storing them, and I'm pleased with how long they are lasting, with this one exception. But no matter, cuz it went into the compost this morning. I'm going to keep a closer watch on them now and if I find any others starting to deteriorate, I'll take them out to the livestock for a mid-Winter treat. They enjoy that. |
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Post by grungy on Jan 28, 2008 9:04:19 GMT -5
Blue,
Maybe not 16 months for a tomato, but from Sept. - to the end of the following June for Giraffe Abricot. That works out to 8 1/2 - 9 months. But getting back to the squash, try wiping them down with the bleach solutions as you bring them in from the garden. We (knock on wood) haven't lost one squash that we have treated that way. Without the bleach solution wipe down we averaged about 4-6 months before mold started sitting in.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Jan 28, 2008 10:58:31 GMT -5
Grungy, I try to reserve the use of bleach for disinfecting poultry equipment.
I'd be interested to hear how many folks on here would use bleach to cure their squash??
I'm of the belief that Antibacterial soaps and bleaches are vastly overused these days. Sorry. Each to their own, but I personally, don't like the idea of eating food that's been 'disinfected'.
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Post by Alan on Jan 28, 2008 18:45:36 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips on storing winter squash grungy, it does make sense in killing off the mold on the squash, and as long as it's dilluted it should be fairly safe, particularly after letting the squash cure a bit.
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Post by grungy on Jan 28, 2008 19:59:49 GMT -5
Yes, we only do it when the rind is hard, use a weak bleach solution wiped on so that it evaporates off before it penetrates very deep into the rind (if at all). It seems to remove the surface spores, and won't touch the parts that we eat.
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Post by Alan on Jan 28, 2008 20:27:37 GMT -5
I'll give it a go this season just to see how it does. Thanks for the information.
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Post by canadamike on Jul 7, 2008 20:59:05 GMT -5
I know it is an old post, but it is July 7 and I still have an uneaten THELMA SANDERS SWEET POTATO SQUASH in my garage...I let it there to see how long she will last.
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