looking similiar to this http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/1217/ (but with a bit more of the ripe ivory coloration started).
What is the lowest temperature it can take? If we hit freezing chances are we will be a little below 32 F for a couple of hours.
This message was edited Sep 12, 2006 6:21 PM
Farmerdill how long will Butternut last when it is picked
A good frost will kill the vines, They are not frost tolerant, The mature butternuts will be all right as long as they don't freeze, but the immature ones will not mature further. I would throw a sheet or some cloth cover over the vines for the first couple of frosts, when some fruits are close to mature. You can usually buy a couple of weeks and sometimes up to a month doing that.
Thanks I'll cover them then.
I was also wondering if one that is starting to turn the ripe ivory shade would be edible? (tho not totally ripe for long term storing) We had to pick a few that were at the edge of the patch since the deer were starting to nibble on them.
For best flavor, they need to be fully matured and cured for a couple of weeks in dry storage. Like a sweet potato, they need curing for best flavor, part of it is reduced water content, but some other conversion processes take place as well.
:'( I was afraid of that.....I think we grew too large a Butternut for our growing season. I'll have to look for seeds of smaller ones like we see in the stores. Hopefully their days to maturity are shorter (and I'll have to plant more so the deer can't get them all).
Thank you again! :)