In article ,
Janet Galpin wrote:

I accidentally picked my first butternut squash. It's a good large one
and I would like to store it.
A week ago just after picking it had one small area which was darker
brown but the staining looked quite superficial. In the last week,
however, the area has spread and other little bits have begun to go
darker. The surface of the squash is very slightly indented where the
staining occurs - kind of pock-marked.

Yup. And others. Eat it PDQ, or it will rot to slime.

Thanks, Nick, I will. Do you know what causes it?

Not precisely, but it's fungal. It is a mould or similar, and the
softening is exactly the same phenomenon where apples, peaches etc.
soften (and go dark) as they get attacked in the same way. It
progresses more slowly in squash, so it is easier to salvage the
sound parts.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.