[mirrim]

planted four butternut square into two inches of bought compost on top of my pony manure, they grew fantastically and I got 22 squash from them, problem is they are rotting. any ideas why and how to stop the problem next year?

[compostqueen]

Do you mean they are rotting in storage?  They're not still in the manure pile are they?

[Trillium]

While the squashes are growing, keep them off the ground, maybe sitting on a brick or board that's tilted a bit for rain runoff. This keeps soil bacteria from starting on them

When harvesting, leave on as much of the stem as possible and don't carry it by the stem. The stem helps keep bacteria from invading the open area where the stem attaches to the squash.

This year, once all the squashes were harvested and stems were dry, I gave them all a washdown with a bit of bleach in water. Use a clean washcloth and wipe all the hard skin but not the stem. Let air dry thoroughly. Any with bad spots must be used up asap. Those can be baked and the flesh frozen in freezer bags.

Keep squashes stored on single layer in a cool, never freezing, area/room.

[Yana]

Last year I was worried that my squashes would not last because of the very cold temperatures in the garage where they were stored. In the end it was not a problem and they all came through and lasted until into early April.
This year, I have already had to use up three sooner than expected because they were going soft because it is too warm in the garage!! The mild winter is not doing them any favours and they are not going to last as long as in previous years. Good job there was a bumper harvest but having to get inventive with recipes.

[mumofstig]

I think the change in weather from hot summer to cool and damp, just as they were ripening, didn't help 

As the others have said, cool storage is what is required - not warm, which will encourage rots - and not freezing (in the shed) which will turn them to mush!

[compostqueen]

One of my Crown Princes has gone over but I caught it before it went kerblammo all over the place (as they do  )!  In the conservatory where the heat does fluctuate. I keep a window just cracked to give some air round them.  I still have plenty left thankfully.  Last night I had a very nice New England Pie with dinner 

[sunshineband]

I pick ours, with a stem attached, as soon as they are showing tinges of gold in the skin (having gone through green to creamy colour), keep them in the warmth of the kitchen once they are wiped down, until the skins are that deep pinky gold that shows they are fully ripe.

They then get more to the cool back bedroom, where they last well into the Spring each year.

Perhaps if yours are rotting, mirrim their skins are either not fully cured or are perhaps slightly damaged (assuming they are now somewhere cool)

22 is a good crops... hope you do well with them next season 

[compostqueen]

Wipe down!  I veritably polished mine. So proud 

[sunshineband]

Wipe down!  I veritably polished mine. So proud 

OK, I was trying to be low key.. mine are gleaming in reality too 

[compostqueen]

Knowing you, I thought they would be 

[sunshineband]

Knowing you, I thought they would be 

 

And the winter festivals and harlequins are looking pretty good too, as their colours have deepened just nicely 

[8doubles]

While the squashes are growing, keep them off the ground, maybe sitting on a brick or board that's tilted a bit for rain runoff. This keeps soil bacteria from starting on them

When harvesting, leave on as much of the stem as possible and don't carry it by the stem. The stem helps keep bacteria from invading the open area where the stem attaches to the squash.

This year, once all the squashes were harvested and stems were dry, I gave them all a washdown with a bit of bleach in water. Use a clean washcloth and wipe all the hard skin but not the stem. Let air dry thoroughly. Any with bad spots must be used up asap. Those can be baked and the flesh frozen in freezer bags.

Keep squashes stored on single layer in a cool, never freezing, area/room.

Good advice above, i would add that if you can store on a wire rack in direct sunlight your squash can last till May as mine do if i get a good crop.

[compostqueen]

Some store better than others.  Crown Prince is usually one of the best. My one must have had a dink.  Darn it. I hate wasting squash, and CP least of all    Oh well, it will make jolly good compost    Every cloud ..... 

[sunshineband]

Sunshine certainly helps the skin cure thoroughly, and storing on a wire rack would help air circulation.

[ghost61]

We cured the skins and have kept them in a large garage on wire racks, and they are still starting to rot at the necks. No blemishes on the skin, but I think that the warm and humid weather hasn't helped. Same is happening with the marrows. The freezers are full at the moment, and they will have to wait until after Christmas before they can be chopped up and frozen..... Please don't say make jam or chutney or soups - I am glad to be free from the kitchen for a while.....