October is the perfect time to harvest winter squash (Cucurbita maxima and other species in this genus) and pumpkins (C. pepo) in the southern UK! Join me, Dr. Katia Hougaard, as I harvest and cure winter squash and pumpkins in my garden.
The fruits begin to develop in June and July, and then grow a hard shell during August and September, which means October is the perfect month to harvest them. In my experience, leaving winter squash on the vine improves their flavour but they must be harvested before the first frosts.
After squash fruits are removed from the dried out vines, I recommend washing them with a weak solution of dish soap (detergent) and white vinegar to remove fungal spores and dirt. The squash should be placed in a warm, dry, sunny location to "cure". If the pale coloured "field spot" is placed towards the sun during curing, it will usually darken to match the rest of the squash. One week of sun on each side of the squash is sufficient to cure them.
Please note that this timeline applies to winter squash grown in the southern UK and the timing may be different in other parts of the squash growing world. The squash discussed in this video are Rouge Vif de Etampes, Ayote, Blue Hubbard, Candy Roaster, Marina di Chioggia, and Gold Rush courgette/zucchini.
Music: Pumpkin Woods by Derek and Brandon Fiechter
