First year gardener. I had two very large (multiple ~8-10ft vines per plant) butternut squash plants that have unfortunately been completely ravaged by white powdery mildew and squash bugs despite my efforts to save them. I’m pulling the plug on most of each plant today in hopes of cutting off most food & shelter for the squash bugs.
I got a few large ripe squash off the plant. However, I have loads of these smaller unripened squash. I’ll be a little sad if I have to waste all of them. Can I leave some of the ones that aren’t split / heavily pest damaged out in the sun for a while to ripen them? If so, how long? What about the ones that are damaged or a very long ways from being ripe? Is there anything I can do with those?
by CoknZambies
20 Comments
Put them out in the direct afternoon sun for a week or two. I had some unripened green koginuts that have turned orange from the sunbathing alone.
Food bank donate
How many plants produced that bounty? I usually only get one per plant 😂
I saw this post the other day about someone picking them young on purpose.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/vegetablegardening/s/Qyx5xu6E5Z](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegetablegardening/s/Qyx5xu6E5Z)
I agree with other comments about putting the most mature of your squash in the sun to ripen some more. You could try using the least ripe, most immature similar to a summer squash, cube up in stir fry etc…of course it won’t have the flavor of a mature squash but it will take on flavor from your oil and herbs. You could also shred the immature squash and use like for zucchini bread. As my grandmother used to say, Waste not, want not!
Yes I leave all of my winter squash in the sun to finish ripening/ cure. It’s only sunny for a few hours a day in this spot. My winter squash will ripen a bit more off the vine
Find someone who does gourd art and donate them
Every one of the fruits pictured should ripen nicely if put out in the sun for a week or two and then into storage. Mine look like these every year.
Give them a stern talking to and they will ripen in a day or two.
Yep…set them near sunlight. I always left mine on my counter near the window.
Use as many as you want now. Peel, cube, blanch and then freeze. Or use like you would potatoes. I grow them just so I can pick them this young.
They are fine, just let them ripen.
They are already turning tan, which means if you leave them to harden off in a dry sunny place they will ripen fully.
There is an amazing squash casserole recipe. Tons of butter and brown sugar. Tastes like the one from Boston Market. Just Google Squash casserole with brown sugar and butter.
Yea they’re fine. I let them ripen in the sun a bit then store them in a cool dry place. I ate a little greener one and it wasn’t as orange but was still fine roasted up. They last ages in a cool dry space
Were they early butternuts or Waltham butternuts? I’ve grown both and the early ones tend to be much smaller IME. Like other posters said and is true is almost all winter squashes, if you put them in a sunny, dry spot for a week or two they will likely cure perfectly well. I grew both this year for the second time but was wiped out mostly by squash bugs and only got about 4 decently usable butternuts. Meanwhile I am drowning in carving pumpkins which is the one squash the bugs didn’t seem too interested in. 🤷♂️
Offer one to the snail god spirits for good fortune and bug friends.
Paint them fall colors, or like pumpkins etc
Under ripe winter squash can be cooked as summer squash. They often have better flavor and color than standard summer squash such as zucchini, which are pretty tasteless.
My wife makes butternut squash Mac and cheese with Sage! It’s our go to meatless meal! So good the Sage really enhances the dish