Despite summer coming to an end, there is still much to be done in the garden and harvesting your squashes should be at the top of your list.
Between planting your spring bulbs and putting your furniture away, there are important jobs to get done in the garden before winter arrives. Garden expert Sarah Raven is here to guide you through squash harvesting season and offer her wisdom on how to get the most out of them.
According to the gardening expert, there's a quick step to ensuring your harvested pumpkins and squashes last you much longer through the winter months.
Sarah Raven's squash advice to improve your harvest
Discussing October gardening jobs on her podcast Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange Sarah says one of the jobs she'll be getting done this weekend is squash harvesting.
"One of the jobs that is in my mind at the moment is harvesting squash and pumpkins. We've had this lovely warm weather but it's now starting to get wet again and that's just when you want to bring any of them in from the garden," she explains.
Even if you've only just started vegetable gardening for beginners knowing when to harvest your vegetables is important to keeping them edible and as tasty as possible.
Harvesting isn't the only important step in vegetable gardening. Sarah also shares a little wisdom on a crucial less known step after you've started harvesting.
"You need to season them on a coolish but protected window ledge in a greenhouse or on a sunny porch. You just want to cure the skin for a couple of weeks ideally, if you want to store them but of course you can eat them straight away," Sarah says.
If you prefer eating your crops as soon as they're ready we'd recommend succession planting as it ensures you've got vegetables to enjoy for a lot longer.
Knowing these sustainable garden ideas that will boost the power of your vegetable patch will keep you a happy and well-fed gardener.
Sarah talks about her patch, she says "I was looking at our red curry or butternut squash, we've also got tromboncino and that's the least good storer. But just by curing them in the warm it hardens the skin and makes them store better."
"My favourite of all is Queens Lamb Blue, and that has this lovely coppery bluey skin and that stores really well, it'll store right the way through to New Year. But bringing them in out of the wet and curing them before you store them is a really good idea," she adds.
So whether you're ready to start eating pumpkin soup now or prefer waiting until later in the season, get to curing your squashes for that long-lasting hearty goodness.
Consider investing in the Tefal Perfectmix soup maker to help cook up delicious dishes with ease.
Shop gardening tools
RRP: £4 | These gloves are perfect for both harvesting your vegetables and sowing more seeds thanks to their grip, they're made from durable materials so they'll last year after year too.
RRP: £15.95 | This hand trowel does it all, from cutting through root balls to using the fishtail tip to lift rooted weeds. There's even a twine-cutting notch that doubles up as a bottle opener, perfect for a mid-gardening beer.
RRP: £24.95 | When it comes to cutting your pumpkins and large squashes off their stems you'll need something a little bigger than your flower secateurs. This telescopic lopper is perfect and its longer handles mean you won't have to bend into the veg patch every time.
Why not take some of your squashes once they're cured and incorporate them into your autumn decor ideas? Whether you carve pumpkins or not, adding smaller gourds and squashes on your dining table or a hearth will add a perfect splash of autumnal warmth.
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