How to Harvest, Cure and Store Pumpkins for Maximum Shelf Life

With a small amount of effort, you can maximize the shelf life of your homegrown pumpkins and winter squashes so they last all winter! The key is knowing the right time to harvest (not too early and not too late), then curing your pumpkins so they stay fresh for months in storage. Here’s exactly how you do that (plus the winter squashes you should NEVER cure).

Linda Ly

Written by Linda Ly

An assortment of winter squash curing in the sun

Before I started gardening, I used to think winter squash referred to a squash that grew over winter. Only after harvesting my very first “winter” squash did I realize it’s simply stored over winter. (And despite the name, winter squash is not cold-hardy at all.)

These long-keeping vegetables can stay fresh for months without refrigeration, but their shelf life depends on three key things: harvesting not too early and not too late, allowing the rind to harden properly, and storing the pumpkin or winter squash in the right conditions.

The trick to most pumpkins keeping for three, four, or even six months from now is a natural process called curing. You don’t need any extra equipment to do this. I’ll show you when to harvest your pumpkins for the best chance at long-term storage, how to easily cure them, and how to store them afterward for maximum shelf life.

The best time to harvest

Winter squashes usually take about 90 to 120 days from seed to harvest and are usually ready between early September and mid October. By this time, their rinds have toughened up, their seeds have fully developed, and their vines have started to yellow.

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Fully mature winter squash on a vine
Look at the leaves: this winter squash is almost mature and can soon be harvested and cured

The leaves and tendrils are often the first signs of fruit maturity. Once they turn yellow on their own and the vines look like they’re on their way out (before frost hits), the squash should be fully ripe.

But don’t wait until the first frost! Squashes that have been hit with frost will not ripen or store well.

A tan, cracked, and hardened stem that’s died off is a good clue. So is resistance to the stab of a fingernail. You might make a slight dent in the skin, but you shouldn’t be able to puncture all the way through to the flesh.

Test the rind's toughness with your fingernail
Slight dent with a fingernail

There are other reliable ways you can tell your pumpkins are ready. (Just don’t count on the ever-popular “knock test” to be accurate, which I cover in that post.)

Handle your winter squash gently

How to cure your pumpkins

Once your pumpkin has fully matured, cut the fruit from the plant, leaving at least 3 inches of stem. The stem is the pumpkin’s fail-safe seal against rot and disease, so avoid lifting it by the stem and instead hold it from the bottom.

Leave at least 3 inches of stem on the squash

Despite their burly appearance, pumpkins and other winter squashes actually require a little babying to keep them from spoiling. Treat them gently while their skins continue to harden and the curing process heals any cuts or cracks that could lead to rotting later.

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Pumpkins may develop ground stains on their skin, which indicate where they laid on the ground while growing. These superficial spots are merely discolorations and have no effect on the flesh underneath.

Allow the sun to to heal any cuts or cracks
Surface blemishes on squash

A few minor marks on the surface are generally nothing to worry about, but these are the pumpkins that should eventually be eaten first.

The same goes for pumpkins that might be bruised or broken; they won’t keep well. Remember that any little ding will only get worse in storage and may also affect the quality of your other pumpkins in the pantry.

Note

Not all winter squashes need to be cured. Cucurbita pepo (acorn, delicata, and some pie pumpkins) should never be cured because doing so may shorten their lifespan in storage. They can be eaten at harvest time and will store for two to three months regardless.

Once you’ve harvested all your ripe pumpkins, lay them out in the yard in a warm, well-ventilated area, so long as your nighttime temperatures don’t dip below 60°F. The ideal conditions for curing are on the higher end: around 80°F to 85°F with 80 to 85 percent relative humidity.

Since most people don’t live in very warm and humid climates like this, you can get away with curing your pumpkins wherever it’s warmest outside. Sun helps, but isn’t a requirement. Sunshine simply provides the warmth that pumpkins like when they’re curing. (Although in very hot climates, pumpkins should be cured in a shadier spot so they don’t get sunburn.)

Four winter squash varieties being cured outside in the sun

I usually leave mine in place in their garden bed, or if I need the space for fall planting, I’ll move my pumpkins to an area where they’ll stay nice and dry. Keep your pumpkins and other winter squashes away from any overhead irrigation or areas where water is likely to pool.

Related: Bookmark this checklist of fall garden chores and winterization tips

If there’s a threat of rain coming, move them under a covered porch or inside to a warm and ventilated space like your house, garage, greenhouse, or shed. (Remember: the warmer the better.) Just don’t forget about them!

Pumpkins and winter squashes need about a week of warm air to properly cure.

During that time, the fruit continues to “breathe” but as its rind hardens, the rate of respiration (and thus the rate of spoilage) slows down. The harder the rind is, the more impervious it is to mold and bacteria and the longer it will keep in storage.

Ribbed pumpkin on a butcher block counter
Overhead view of a ribbed pumpkin on a butcher block counter

The curing process concentrates the natural sugars in pumpkins, giving them their rich, sweet flavor. Many pumpkins only need a week of curing to reach optimal flavor, but certain varieties need to be stored a bit longer after curing to fully convert all the starches to sugars.

These include Cucurbita maxima (buttercup, hubbard, and kabocha) and Cucurbita moschata (butternut), which have high starch content and benefit from being stored for a month or two after curing so they can reach peak eating quality. The exceptions are mini kabochas, red-skinned kabochas, and mini butternuts, which can be eaten right at harvest time.

How to store pumpkins for the long term

Once your pumpkin is fully cured, store it in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated area with an ambient room temperature between 50°F and 60°F, ideally with 50 to 70 percent humidity. Humidity levels below 50 percent can cause your pumpkin to dry out faster (ask me how I know—I live in the driest of the dry high desert climate).

Two turban squash sitting on a wooden table

Very cold conditions (anything under 50°F) will shorten storage life, so keep this mind if you want to use an uninsulated garage for long-term storage.

Don’t just lump all your pumpkins together into a large bin and call it good. Arrange them in a single layer on a shelf, in a spot where they’re easy to check on throughout the season.

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You want to keep an eye out for blemishes and soft spots. If any dark marks begin to appear on a pumpkin, move it away from the other pumpkins and plan to use it up first. Those marks (which resemble water stains) will eventually coalesce and become water-soaked, causing the entire pumpkin to collapse in rot.

Winter Squash Storage Chart

Squash VarietyAverage Shelf Life
Acorn (do not cure)1 to 2 months
Delicata2 to 3 months
Spaghetti2 to 3 months
Pumpkin2 to 3 months
Butternut3 to 6 months
Buttercup3 to 6 months
Turban3 to 6 months
Banana3 to 6 months
Kabocha4 to 6 months
Hubbard4 to 6 months
Red-Skinned Hubbard (Red Kuri)4 to 6 months
Cushaw4 to 6 months

In general, the harder and thicker the rind, the longer it will store.

Sometimes I’ll get lucky and a squash will store longer than expected. I love to pull out, say, a hubbard in March—a squash that I’d harvested back in September! With only a couple of winter squash plants, you could be set on soups and roasts until the following spring when the weather finally turns warmer.

Close-up of various orange and yellow winter squash in storage

Frequently asked questions

Pumpkin plants need sun to grow, but the pumpkins themselves don’t need sun to ripen (mature). While the plants love all day sun, light only needs to hit the leaves so they can photosynthesize and send energy to the fruit. Even if your pumpkin is hiding beneath a canopy of leaves, it will develop and ripen just fine without sun exposure.

If frost arrives early and your winter squashes are still green on the vine, here’s a simple test to see if they have a chance of surviving: are they “blushing”?

If the fruits have begun to change color, you can harvest and ripen them indoors. Watch them carefully and turn the squashes over each week to check for soft spots or rot (particularly on the stem end). Immature squashes need continued warmth until they develop their final color and a hardened rind.

Technically, you don’t have to cure winter squashes. (And you should never cure acorn and delicata squash, which don’t need it.) You can harvest a mature squash and eat it right away, though it won’t be as sweet as you expect.

In my experience, you can simply store your pumpkin or winter squash for a few months before eating. Proper curing speeds up the conversion of starches to sugars, but with enough time, that conversion can still happen slowly in storage.

Technically, the rind (or skin) of all winter squashes is edible. There’s no danger to consuming it—it’s just a matter of texture and personal preference.

The thicker the skin, the greater chance it has of remaining chewy and tough even after it’s cooked.

That’s why thin-skinned winter squashes like red kuri and delicata are culinary favorites: their skins practically melt away after sauteing or take on a pleasantly crisp texture after roasting. You may also have some luck with petite varieties of kabocha or butternut squash, which don’t necessarily need to be peeled.

Do not refrigerate your winter squashes, as this will shorten their lifespan. If they’re well cured, they’ll keep perfectly well in the pantry (and keep longer if the ambient room temperature stays on the cooler side between 50°F and 60°F).

You only need to refrigerate winter squash if it’s been cut or cooked. Download Garden Betty’s Fruit & Vegetable Storage Guide for more helpful tips on storing your produce properly.

Unlike winter squashes, summer squashes have thin and tender skins and are ready for harvest as soon as they reach an inch long. They can be eaten immediately and do not need to be cured; that said, they also don’t store as long as winter squashes and should be refrigerated.

Some exceptions are zucchino rampicante (also called tromboncino squash or zuchetta) and tatuma (tatume) squash, two common varieties that can be used like summer or winter squash, depending on how long you leave them on the vine. If left to mature through the end of summer, they can be cured and stored like a traditional winter squash.

This post updated from an article that originally appeared on August 20, 2014.

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Linda Ly

I'm a plant lover, passionate road-tripper, and cookbook author whose expert advice and bestselling books have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, HGTV, and Food & Wine. The Route 66 Cookbook is my latest book. Garden Betty is where I write about modern homesteading, farm-to-table cooking, and outdoor adventuring—all that encompass a life well-lived outdoors. After all, the secret to a good life is... Read more »

39 Comments

  1. Living in the high desert mountains of Idaho- warm weather is long gone early September
    So curing what’s mostly ripe and ripe in a windowsill will work?

    What about seed saving?

    With the shorter growing season here I am having a hard time getting winter squash to be ready for harvest… so would the seeds of ‘kinda ripe’ work for next years garden?

    Thank you

    Reply

  2. Thanks for this great information. I once read that handling the Skins too much at Harvest was bad for them is this true?
    If your family wants to come ski in Salt Lake I have space for you no charge; I’d love to meet you and show you all my garden if you are visiting.

    Reply

  3. You’re just the greatest! This is so helpful. In all my years of growing squashes, this is the first time I’ve heard of curing squash out in the sun. Question: So I live in Nebraska. I just (today!) bought a bunch of squash and pumpkins from a farm nearby. They had cut a bunch of them today. It is October, and the forecast for the next couple of weeks is in the 60s for the high temps. No more 80-degree temps. Should I still be attempting to cure my squash out in the sun, in those cooler temps? Thanks for your advice!

    Reply

  5. I live in a cool and cloudy area of the PNW which makes curing squash difficult. Can it be don inside under a grow light in leu of a sunny window?

    Reply

  7. I just picked about 8 beautiful delicata squash. I did not plant it! It grew from my compost. Yay! I’m unclear on curing delicata squash. Can it or should it be cured like other squash varieties? Or should it just be kept at 55-65 degrees after being picked? Thank you for your advice!

    Reply

    1. Hi Sandy, I generally bring them in, wash them up and wipe with a weak bleach/water solution. I cure them I my sunny sun room for a couple of weeks and then they go down to my basement where it is a bit cooler. I have had them last for months this way. Delicatas are one of our favorites and we harvested 102 of them yesterday…..and there are still more in the garden waiting for me! I hope you had good luck. God Bless!

      Reply

  8. How would you cure squash in a northern area where the weather doesn’t get into the 80s anymore any sept/oct harvest time?

    Reply

  10. I have zucchini coming out my ears, and need a great recipe to let my family enjoy its taste. HELP and Thanks patty

    Reply

  11. Hmmm I feel like my kabocha are already cured in the sun properly even though I haven’t cut their vines yet. IS that… is that how it can work? My current plan is just to wait for the temperature to get cold enough to threaten frost, then harvest and store where it’s cool. do I really have to heat them first? Improper storage cost me some pumpkins in the past.

    Reply

  12. Your squash are stunning! I’m so envious. I moved and no longer have the space to grow them but they were my favorite garden vegetable. The last two years I grew them though, the leaves all turned yellow and wilted far far too early and I lost all my squash. Do you know why that would happen??

    Reply

    1. Unfortunately I don’t, as yellow leaves could mean any number of things: overwatering, underwatering, some kind of bacterial wilt or other fungus. I recommend growing squash in a large container if you no longer have ground space; they do very well as container plants, especially bush zucchini (whose vines don’t sprawl).

      Reply

  14. Perfect timing, as usual! Bambi just at some leaves of my Delicata plants (first time growing these), but crop yield looks great. Think next year I’ll grow more types, maybe 1-2 plants of each type and compare characteristics. In Whittier one year, we had a wonderful crop of Queensland Blues that climbed up our pool fence, all by themselves and heavily hung unsupported, until ripe. Amazing! Your crop looks fabulous! Congratulations! 🙂

    Reply

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