Drying/curing squash in a greenhouse - damp mornings

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Yana

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Drying/curing squash in a greenhouse - damp mornings
« on: September 23, 2013, 07:53 »
I've harvested quite a few of my winter squash / pumpkins yesterday (probably too early) but there are signs that some are going "missing" at the lottie.
Anyways, I had planned to dry/cure them in a greenhouse and cleared it up yesterday and made a space for them to go into today. This morning the greenhouse is misted up and I thought that this would make the squashes rot instead of preparing them for a winter in the garage (on purpose built staging that will allow air to circulate and is cool).
What should I do? The stalks on some are not fully dried and the greenhouse was to be the interim before storing in the garage. I don't want to make a mess of this as I am really pleased with the different types I have managed to grow and looking forward to stews and soups throughout the winter.
I have my own cement mixer and not afraid to use it!!

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Kristen

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Re: Drying/curing squash in a greenhouse - damp mornings
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2013, 11:23 »
Dunno if it is the right answer but I've always just laid them on on the staging, or a bench, in the greenhouse for a week or two to "cure" them. Never gave thought to the condensation, but we have always had enough sunny days to raise the greenhouse temperature to do the job.

Bit late now, and hopefully you did do it, but I have read that you should cut a reasonable "T" of stem with the fruit, so that it can draw on that whilst curing.

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compostqueen

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Re: Drying/curing squash in a greenhouse - damp mornings
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2013, 12:00 »
Keep the greenhouse ventilated by making sure the windows are ajar as is the door

If you have a conservatory with opening windows you can keep them in there.

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8doubles

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Re: Drying/curing squash in a greenhouse - damp mornings
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2013, 12:14 »
Its what window sills were made for ! :D

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Yana

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Re: Drying/curing squash in a greenhouse - damp mornings
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2013, 15:28 »
I have left a T shaped handle as I read that somewhere so made sure I did it as I harvested the squash.
I daren't put them on the windowsill after blagging a greenhouse/shed combo earlier this year and OH spent ages glazing it for me.
We are forecast reasonable weather for the next few days at least, so I'll put them in and see what happens.
Thanks everyone.  :D




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