# What to do with squash when you don't have a root cellar?



## semimoonman (Oct 31, 2012)

I need ideas about how to put up winter squash without a root cellar or attic. I have a water bath canner (no good for squash as far as I know), a pressure canner (I've followed the recent threads about pressure canning squash), and a chest freezer. 

Does any one have thoughts on preserving, probably freezing? I'll probably roast and freeze some. Any other ideas?

When my wife and I lived in a tiny basement apartment, we just stored our winter squash in our subterranean entry way, and that worked through late Febrary. We've come up in the world (literally), and now live in a very sunny, very well insulated apartment--no attic, no basement, no cold spots. 

Thanks!


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## happycat47111 (Nov 23, 2013)

You might want to do a Google search for portable root cellars or something along those lines. You can take a tub and do a makeshift cellar from that, but I'm not sure on the details. And I've never used one, though it's a serious consideration for next year. Hope this helps!


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

We don't have a root cellar or place to store winter squash either. Last year I roasted all of them with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper and froze. It was so nice to have on hand.


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## CraftyLady (Jul 18, 2014)

I don't have a root cellar but, I do have a cool enough garage. And it's insulated so it won't freeze in the winter. 
I collect boxes from costco - i'm kinda picky, sometimes the clerks look at me like, so you don't want this one you want that one? - I wrap each squash - delicota, acorn or other - in news paper and stack in the box. I also write on the box how many are in the box with a marker. As I take one out I adjust the number and write the date. This reminds me to use the squash. As the winter goes along - about Jan. - I unwrap and check each one for spoilage. Even if it's getting a little bad spot you can use it right away. 
I have a friend who dehydrates squash rings, then bags them up with the seal a meal.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

You are in Vermont, so you will not be able to leave them in your garage., unless it's heated.

Winter squash don't require weather as cold as most vegetables such as potatoes and other root vegetables. If you have a closet or other cool space (even a pantry shelf is mostly good), even under your bed, if it's cool, that will work.

I've kept winter squash just sitting in a bucket in my heated pole barn in Michigan for 9 months or more. Keep an eye on them...if you see a bad spot forming, use that one right away (within a week). They don't improve at that point. You can just cut out the bad spot and save the rest.

They like dry conditions. That's why they can do well on a pantry shelf.


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

I have unprocessed squash over a year old that are still in great shape, stored on a shelf in my kitchen. If you choose a great storage squash such as a good acorn or butternut variety and store it correctly you don't have to do any processing. Choose the coolest moderately dry out of the way location in your house and put up wire shelves like they make for inside of clothes closets. Mine are in my kitchen up on a shelf near the ceiling on an un insulated wall and we live in a very cold climate. Southerners kitchen ceilings are certain to be too hot but I think shelves under beds would work. I use the kind of shelf that is usually white and goes above the clothes rod in the closet. Spread the squash on the shelf being very careful not to let the squash touch the wall or one another. They absolutely will rot if they are placed on a floor or solid shelf. If any are going to go bad, it will happen within the first month or so usually. Turn them to check on them once a week or so at first. After that I rarely check on them, just look at them all when I get one to cook. I get rid of the old ones at the next harvest.

You have to harvest correctly by the way. Pick them after a good hard frost but before a freeze and cut the stem, being careful not to tear it away from the squash at all. If possible, leave them outside to cure for 1 to 3 days but don't let them freeze. Handle them very gently and be careful not to scratch them when you remove the dirt. They don't have to be washed but thick areas of dirt have to be removed.

Maybe there is a cool spot near one of your windows, I just read that u live in a modern apartment. The won't keep I n sunlight though so you would have to cover them.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

we have a garage- no root cellar- and last yr we put up over 50 of each spaghetti squash/acorn.butternut and another kind of squash- with no problem whatsoever!
here is what we did-
set up 2 totes-
one with mild soapy water- 2 tablespoons dish detergant with 15 gallons of water
one with mild bleach water-2 tablespoons bleach with 15 gallons of water

I scrubbed the squash in the first tote- 
then dipped in the bleach water tote

then lay to dry-

once totally dry-

take a cheap veggie oil- and use a cloth to add a slight sheen of oil to the squash- like in the stores- you clean it- you sanitize it- then add the oil to keep the moisture in- mine kept until at least July this yr!
check for spots- I kept mine on shelves not touching each other-


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## BlackFeather (Jun 17, 2014)

I have found some squash last longer than others, I like butter cup but they don't seem to hold up as long as other kinds do. I bake the squash, then scoop it out, sometimes run it through a potato ricer, not always, and freeze it. I have dehydrated the bake squash too, spread the scooped out squash on silicon sheets, dry, comes out as flat sheets. I bet if you put it in a blender and broke it up, you could make something like instant potato flakes only squash.


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## Guest (Oct 21, 2014)

BlackFeather said:


> I have found some squash last longer than others, I like butter cup but they don't seem to hold up as long as other kinds do. I bake the squash, then scoop it out, sometimes run it through a potato ricer, not always, and freeze it. I have dehydrated the bake squash too, spread the scooped out squash on silicon sheets, dry, comes out as flat sheets. I bet if you put it in a blender and broke it up, you could make something like instant potato flakes only squash.



I purÃ©e mine, and freeze it. Vac sealed. I will need to try dehydrating the purÃ©e! We are too warm here, and cannot store them from what I've heard.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

fffarmergirl said:


> I have unprocessed squash over a year old that are still in great shape, stored on a shelf in my kitchen. If you choose a great storage squash such as a good acorn or butternut variety and store it correctly you don't have to do any processing. Choose the coolest moderately dry out of the way location in your house and put up wire shelves like they make for inside of clothes closets. Mine are in my kitchen up on a shelf near the ceiling on an un insulated wall and we live in a very cold climate. Southerners kitchen ceilings are certain to be too hot but I think shelves under beds would work. I use the kind of shelf that is usually white and goes above the clothes rod in the closet. Spread the squash on the shelf being very careful not to let the squash touch the wall or one another.  They absolutely will rot if they are placed on a floor or solid shelf. If any are going to go bad, it will happen within the first month or so usually. Turn them to check on them once a week or so at first. After that I rarely check on them, just look at them all when I get one to cook. I get rid of the old ones at the next harvest.
> 
> You have to harvest correctly by the way. Pick them after a good hard frost but before a freeze and cut the stem, being careful not to tear it away from the squash at all. If possible, leave them outside to cure for 1 to 3 days but don't let them freeze. Handle them very gently and be careful not to scratch them when you remove the dirt. They don't have to be washed but thick areas of dirt have to be removed.
> 
> Maybe there is a cool spot near one of your windows, I just read that u live in a modern apartment. The won't keep I n sunlight though so you would have to cover them.


I agree with most of what you have said except the parts in red. I have stored my squash heaped up in one of those wooden slat crates that you see on farms and they last for months.


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## Osiris (Jun 9, 2010)

Agreed: I was surprised how long my squash lasted. I had them in a basket near the floor in the kitchen last year and they made it all the way til May of this year. I spoze if you have bushels of them it's different but I don't think any special storage is necessary. Not like carrots or beets.


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

But they can last over a year if they're not on something solid. I still have some from my 2013 garden.


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## Skandi (Oct 21, 2014)

I only had a couple last year, but I just kept them on the side in the living room, on a solid piece of wood, they lasted untill I used them in March, this years are sitting in the same place, looking fine so far (picked in early September) Next year.. will have a lot more, so will have the same problem, in the furnace room maybe I think the rest of the barns will get to cold.


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## DEKE01 (Jul 17, 2013)

You can store excess squash inside a pig. No temperature or humidity controls needed.


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