Topic: Achocha - The lost crop of the Incas

[tishop]

Anyone else here growing this unusual veg? It's my first try - I'm hoping it's quick growth will act as a screen to my neighbours rough pallet fence (unfortunetly my association allows such 'hard' fences)  :'(

tishop Tim
http://plot61a.blogspot.com/

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

there's a qoute on the web - "When the Incas lost this one, they kmew what they were doing". Best thing about it - when the frost comes - the pods explode. I got the seed from someone here, so they may be along in a bit to say how good it is. Watch out for slug attacks. Wasn't as rampant as it says, but maybe that was just last year

[cjb02]

I am trying this one. Achocha fat baby. I am told it is rampant, but this is my first year, One of the three I have growing in the greenhouse is 2ft tall already. Mine from memory appears to have different leaves to yours.

I got the seed from realseeds and they say they are nice young 1 inch long or de seeded and fried. like sweet pepper.

Fingers crossed it is pleasant anyway.  :)

[saddad]

Probably me RT... anybody else wants any just shout! Some years it doesn't get as big... doesn't like very hot/dry weather and hates frost...
 ;D

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

thought it was you saddad. To be fair, last year they were the closest thing to a cucumber that we got. What a year  ???

[Amazin]

I grew Fat Baby Achocha last year too - had it scrambling through an eight foot high hawthorn hedge.

I also grew naranjilla - aka the lost fruit of the Incas.

Bit careless with their food, the Incas. Wonder what happened to them?

 ;D
 

[Robert_Brenchley]

I suspect their descendants may well be growing the 'lost' crops yet.

[tishop]

Cheers all. Here's how my first pickings looked last Saturday:



As to taste: (At this stage - raw, at about an inch long) only three out of ten, I'm afraid (A minty-cucumber, at very best) Hopefully better stir-fried, eh? :-\