Grow Your Own Magazine

The last of my butternut squash has now got the white mould that has blighted all the ones I've tried to store. It starts off at the top near the stalk bit then travels down the squash. I though I was looking after them well - they were in the garage out of the cold on wooden shelves.
Anyone know whey they've gone mouldy and what I can do to stop the next crop I grow going the same way. If I can't store them there's not much point in growing more than a couple of plants.....

I've not had that proble, before, so I can't help, but I'm sure someone will be along soon who can - I would say that they like heat and light though, so maybe a garage, although it keeps them out of the cold, might not be quite right? I'd start one or two off on a windowsill over a radiator and put them in a greenhouse (if you have one) or plant out in May.

You probably haven't done anything wrong. As far as I remember they are not the sort of squashes which store forever, if they've made it to April I think you've done well.

It is because it was a bit wet at drying/maturing time last year. Butternuts must be left on the plant till they are fully mature- you can tell because the stalk goes hard and dry and they are no longer tinged green. The few I got didn't store so well this year. Usually still eating them in August!

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