Every fall I buy way too many squashes at the farmers market because they look beautiful and I have no self control. Last year I learned that butternut squash can sit in a cool corner for months, if you treat it right.

Here is how to make your squash last until spring.

Start With Unblemished Squash

Storage starts at the store. Skip any squash with soft spots, cuts, or moldy stems. One bruised squash can rot and take its neighbors down with it.

I check the stem too. A dried stem is good. A moist, blackened stem is a warning sign.

Cure Before Storing

If you grew your own or bought from a farm, let the squash sit at room temperature for about two weeks. Curing hardens the skin and seals small nicks. Grocery store squash usually arrives pre-cured, so skip this step for those.

My butternuts from the garden spent two weeks on the kitchen counter before moving to storage. The skin went from dull to shiny and tough.

Find the Right Spot

Winter squash likes it cool, dry, and dark. 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal, with good airflow. A basement shelf, an unheated pantry, or a garage that does not freeze all work.

Do not store them in the fridge for long term. The humidity makes them rot faster.

Keep Them Apart

Squash gives off ethylene gas as it ripens, so do not pile them on top of each other. Give each one a little space and check them once a week.

Turn them over when you check. One soft spot on the bottom can spread quickly if you miss it. I lost two squash last year because I did not look for a month.

Use the Soft Ones First

When you find a squash with a soft spot, do not toss the whole thing. Cut the bad part off and cook the rest that day. It is still perfectly good.

I keep a mental rotation: the squash that feels firmest goes to the back, the one that feels slightly soft gets used this week. Nothing gets wasted and my shelf stays full until spring.