Winter squash, pumpkins and gourds, the cucurbit crops, are the last summer vegetables harvested from the garden. The warm days and cool nights during September are ideal for development, and this year, quality and flavor should be outstanding.

"Although a light frost can be tolerated without damage, squash should be harvested before the first frost or freeze," advises Tony Bratsch, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. "Contrary to popular belief, frost is not needed for squash to mature, and it can decrease storage life. If handled properly, squash such as butternut and hubbard will keep for several months. And if ornamental gourds are properly dried and preserved, they can last years."

Only fully mature winter squash, pumpkins and gourds should be selected for storage or display. The rind should be hard and not puncture when pressed with a fingernail. Stems should be hard, not pliable. Avoid storing fruit that has been damaged by insects, disease or rodents. When harvesting, be sure to leave the stem on because a broken stem will allow entry of decay organisms. Care in handling also reduces deep bruising injury, which will not heal.

The next step is to allow time for curing, which can be done in the home or in a heated outbuilding. Small surface scratches, insect damage or other surface injuries will callus or heal-over during this time. Rinds will also benefit from curing and become harder. For curing, place the fruit in an area where temperatures approach 80 degrees for about 10 to 14 days. Gourds may need four to six weeks to properly cure. Keep them out of direct sunlight to prevent their bright colors from fading. A good curing place is a warm attic or a site near a furnace. An optional step prior to or after curing is to wipe the surface of the fruit with a 10 percent bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) to sanitize it.

Following curing, pumpkins and gourds are ready for display, and edible winter squash can be moved to a winter storage site. You can either lacquer or wax gourds to enhance shine and protect them. Use a spray-on varnish or liquid floor wax product.

For long-term squash storage, choose a well-ventilated, cool place such as an open basement area, which has a consistent temperature of around 50 degrees. Chilling damage and flavor loss can occur at temperatures below 45 degrees, and a lower temperature encourages decay.

At temperatures above 60 degrees, moisture loss and stringy flesh occur. Try to avoid sites in which temperatures fluctuate, causing condensation. Also avoid outdoor pits and cellars, which have high humidity, low temperatures and poor air movement.

Even under the best conditions, a gradual change in quality is to be expected over time. Certain types of winter squash, such as hubbards and butternut squash, often keep into early spring when given ideal conditions and good pre-storage handling.

One exception to the curing and storage process is the acorn squash which, at best, will keep only six to eight weeks. When handling this squash, do not expose it to the 80-degree curing temperature; instead, store immediately at 45 to 50 degrees. The flesh quality of acorns will decline rapidly at warmer temperatures.

Stored winter squash provides a source of valuable nutrition through the winter months. It is delicious baked alone or in breads, and as a key ingredient for soups and other dishes. Information on growing and using pumpkins and squash can be found at Extension's "Pumpkins and More" website – www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/