During winter, you should cover the area with a layer of 10 – 15 inches (25 – 38 cm) of pine straw or mulch to keep the roots safe. As such, you should choose a place in your garden that gets plenty of light and has enough space. Maintain temperatures around 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit while the chayote germinates. When learning how to grow chayote, it’s important to know that they love having lots of sunlight. Choose a planting site of 4 x 4 feet (1.25 x 1.25 m) and turn the soil there using a shovel or a garden tiller. Water it regularly, otherwise, your fruit will be stringy. If you live in a temperate climate, you should cut back the vines and leave just 3 – 4 short shoots. If you live in an area where there isn’t plenty of rain, you should make sure the soil doesn’t dry out. Chayotes have large seeds in the middle, which you'll need to scoop out, although some recipes call for retaining these. Many people want to learn how to grow chayote in their own backyards because they like its taste and use it a lot for cooking. Start it indoors approximately eight weeks before the last frost or outdoors in the spring once nighttime temperatures stay reliably above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s very important to plant the sprout 3 – 4 weeks after the last frost has passed, in the spring, since these vines are frost tender. Position the fruit so it rests at a 45-degree angle. Water thoroughly. Press the soil very gently to remove any air pockets but do not pack it firmly. How to Plant Coyote Squash. Drape a single sheet of plastic wrap over the pot to create a moist, warm greenhouse-like environment for the chayote fruit. Lay 2 inches of compost down on the chosen planting site. Make sure the fruit you choose is healthy and mature. Find a choko that’s not too soft. To continue growing it in water, place the sprouted chayote into a jar big enough for the fruit to fit. It can be eaten from the time it appears on the vine until the end of the season when the fruit is large and fully mature. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Grow the chayote vine under warm, bright and sheltered conditions until planting time. Set the pot in a warm, sunny place indoors and water it. Chayotes are dense and it can take 30 to 40 minutes to boil one whole, and 30 minutes to finish a baked dish containing sliced chayote. Plant the whole fruit about 4” deep in damp soil in your garden. Enjoy! Take 20 pounds (9 kg) of manure and mix it with the soil. It is EXTREMELY important to not let the fruit be kept too moist while in the potting mix. Warm the pot with a heating coil or propagation mat if the ambient temperature is cooler than 70 degrees during the day. Place the chayote fruit in the pot with the broad, rounded end in the center of the depression and the pointed end pointing up. The first thing you need to do when learning how to grow chayote is to start a sprout. How to Grow Chayote: 1. After the roots reach maturity, a vine can grow to a minimum of 30 feet (around 10 meters) in just one season. Both fruit and seed are rich in amino acids and vitamin C. Fresh green fruit are firm and without brown spots or signs of sprouting; smaller fruit are usually more tender. Here you have a couple of options to choose from: It’s easy to learn how to grow chayote on your own since it’s not a plant that needs lots of care and attention. When the … Caring for Chayote. When you’re done, water the sprout. Thus, you get to keep an intact top layer. If you do it right, you’ll get a nice harvest of choko fruits which you can use for a vast array of dishes. Pour water onto the mixture while stirring until it feels moderately moist but not sopping wet throughout. You know a fruit is mature when it measures between 4 and 6 inches (10 – 15 cm). Fill it up with potting soil and place the fruit in a little hole. Chayote squash does not like excessive water. Growing chayote has been cultivated since pre-Columbian times. Place the potted chayote outdoors under bright, dappled shade or indoors near a large window with ample light. Often, the peel will be sticky, so try wearing gloves when you do it. Jan 27, 2016 - Please subscribe to our channel or visit our website at https://asiangarden2table.comWe have great selection of Asian vegetable seed for sale. Leave the fruits out on your counter for a few weeks. How to Grow Chayote as a Houseplant. Choose a spot that receives a lot of light in the morning, but it’s in the shade during the afternoon. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Do this right after the fruiting season. In all but the first growing season vines can grow 30 or more feet long. They can still grow in partial shade conditions, but you may obtain a smaller harvest. In one month, you should notice the fruit sprouting. The chayote in the kitchen. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. About Chayote Plant Flowers Chayote is a cucurbit and, like all cucurbits, produces both male and female blooms on the same plant. Make sure the fruit is on its side, with the top of the stem pointing at a 45-degree angle. Add water to the soil only if it completely dries out in the top 3 inches. Gardeners within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8b to 11 can cultivate chayote with minimal hassle since they thrive in areas with a long, warm growing season and little frost. EverythingBackyard.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Give it a good watering and leave it to grow. The chayote, or vegetable pear, from the gourd family, (Cucurbitaceae) is a perennial climbing vine that requires four to five months of frost-free days to arrive at the harvest stage. Plant near a fence or other strong supporting structure in your garden. For this reason, it’s a good idea to use a strong trellis or any other type of support next to the sprout. If you want to get a nutty flavor in your dish, you should keep the seeds. The only thing you should pay attention to is the amount of light. Place the jar in a sunny place out of prolonged direct sunlight. Here in Los Angeles they can be found at many Hispanic markets (chayotes are native to Mexico). How to Grow Pomegranate Houseplants From Seed, How to Grow Michelia Champaca From the Seed, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Chayote, University of Hawaii: Chayote Production Guidelines for Hawaii. Sprout chayote in late winter or early spring for the best results. 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