Growing and Freezing Butternut Squash

My favorite vining vegetable in the whole wide world is the butternut squash. This season I grew a delightful little variety of the butternut squash called “Honeynut” in my elevated Pizza Garden. You can see by the photos that the bitty Honeynut baby is a mini squash that is super cute and, believe me, will be as perfect on your plate as it is in your garden. If you did not grow butternut squash in your garden this season, definitely put it on the garden design plans for next year.

Preserving Butternut Squash & Pumpkin

This time of year is all about harvesting and preserving, so let’s chat about preserving your butternut squash or pumpkins once you have grown them. Below are a few quick tips on how to freeze your harvest of butternut squash. There are several ways I typically freeze squash and pumpkin.

Cubing & Freezing

1. Harvest squash or pumpkin.
2. Cut in half and remove seeds.
3. Cut squash into cubes.
4. Freeze in freezer bags.

Baking & Freezing

1. Harvest pumpkin or squash.
2. Cut in half and remove seeds.
3. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet then back at 400 degrees until the squash flesh is tender (40 minutes to one hour).
4. Let cool. Remove peel. Mash well.
5. Freeze in freezer bags.

Cooking in Crockpot & Freezing

1. Harvest squash or pumpkin.
2. Cut slits in the skin with a knife.
3. Place in a crockpot on low for 4 to 6 hours with a little water in the bottom.
4. Remove from crockpot when tender. Let cool.
5. Cut in half and remove seeds.
6. Remove peel. Mash well.
7. Freeze in freezer bags.

How to Grow Butternut Squash

Growing a butternut squash is super easy. Here’s what you do:

1. 1. If you have an in-ground garden, amend your soil with Kellogg Garden Organics Garden Soil. I planted my squash in containers and used the Kellogg Garden Organic Select Garden Soil Formulated With BiocharMax soil in my elevated beds.
   2. I mix in one part rotted manure with the bagged soil.
   3. Then I fertilize following the package directions on the Kellogg Garden Organics Organic Plus Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer. One advantage to the Organic Plus fertilizer is that it contains kelp meal which is a great source of micro- and macro-nutrients which will help give your plants a boost.

**Product not available in AZ, CA, HI, NV, UT. For a comparable product in these states click here.

Growing Squash in a Pizza Garden

I’m sure you’re wondering why I grow my squash in a pizza garden? It all started when I went to Rome, Italy to visit my daughter and tasted a delicious pasta sauce made out of pumpkin. Butternut squash and pumpkin melt down easily with a little olive oil and salt in a pan and can be turned into an Italian sauce or soup quite easily. Definitely a yummy change from the traditional American sauce creation and perfect for pizza. Thanks for joining me to learn how to freeze your butternut squash abundance!

Special thank you to Wave Petunia and VegTrug for providing the vegetables and elevated bed in this post.

About the Author:

Shawna Coronado is a successful author, blogger, photographer, and media host who focuses on wellness by teaching green lifestyle living, organic gardening, and anti-inflammatory culinary. Most recently Shawna has written the books, “Grow a Living Wall”, “101 Organic Gardening Hacks”, and “The Wellness Garden”. Shawna campaigns for social and community good – her garden, food, and eco-adventures have been featured in many media venues including television news programming, radio broadcasting, and PBS television. You can learn more about Shawna at www.shawnacoronado.com.