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Tue, Sep 6, 11 at 7:56
| I thought I posted this yesterday but when I came back here later to check for replies, couldn't find my post so perhaps it didn't post or ?? I think some of my buttercup squash are ready to be harvested but because frost isn't yet imminent, I wondered about whether I should leave them a bit longer. However, I don't want them to overripen. They are dark green, firm to pressure and stems are at least half or maybe two-thirds brown. DH, who died last November, and I have always had a large garden but he was the primary planter and decision maker on harvesting. We grew lots of varieties winter squash and kept them successfully for many months. I just didn't have the heart for a large garden this year so only planted only a limited garden (one buttercup variety, 6 tomato plants (a Roma type and Celebrity), a small amount of carrots, potatoes, and herbs). Can anyone give me some advice on whether to harvest my (ready) squash now or to let them have another a few weeks in the garden? I'd hate to find they don't keep as well as usual because I left them overripen. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| In my zone I'd probably give them a few days longer. When the rind is so hard that you can't dent it with your finger nail and stem is fully dried is pretty much standard and you aren't to that point yet, right? But in your zone IF the rind is fully hardened I'd probably pick them now rather than risk them to the weather. They will finish ripening indoors in storage. Dave |
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| Thank you for your response, Dave. I've decided to harvest the most mature in a day or two. Now to go out and put clear plastic around my tomato plants with the nice, but green, tomatoes. Might help at bit getting more warmth to them and besides the posts around them will allow me to cover them with old blankets, quilts should frost be predicted. I'd hate to lose them. |
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