Topic: Chayote - anyone else growing it?

[Squash64]

I grow one every year because it is such a lovely climbing plant.  It has never flowered but that doesn't matter to me because I don't like the taste of them.  West Indians call them 'cho-cho'.

This is what it looks like.  Asda sells them, you can also get them more cheaply in Asian shops (about 50p each)



I start them off inside the greenhouse by standing them up in a pot of compost till a shoot comes out of the 'crease'.



This photo is one I grew a couple of years ago.  This year's isn't quite this big yet.  They grow really quickly but need something to hang on to.

[thifasmom]

in Trinidad, West Indies we call them christophene (criss - tow - feen). sorry you don't like them as i do, they are lovely in stir fries and stews but i like them more when they are el denta :).

you got me all excited :D when i saw the picture but really sad :'( when you said they don't bear fruit :(.

[Squash64]

I think we don't have a long enough growing season for them here.  I wonder if they would do well in a polytunnel?  Have you grown them yourself in Trinidad?

[Robert_Brenchley]

In Sierra Leone they're choco-choco. If they do bear fruit in a greenhouse I might have a go.

[thifasmom]

Yes i have grown it before generally along a chain link fence but they are grown commercially in the cooler mountains on large expanses of interlocking bamboo like pergolas which allow the fruit to hang down making them easier to harvest from underneath.

i have just come across this link (see below) which states that it generally needs an approx 150 days growing season and a plant may have to grow its 30ft before it will start to produce flowers. she also states that it's roots with mulching can survive mild winters (maybe you could try mulching yours this winter). if i had the space to let it climb i might have been tempted to give it a go as being down south the growing season might just give me the time i need.

her growing tips are great for this type of climate. at home in Trinidad it is much simpler, IE forget one in the vege trays, when it starts to sprout bung it in the ground, forget about it till it starts to bear fruit, pick when you are ready :).

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1980-11-01/Growing-Chayote-Vegetable-Pear.aspx

[thifasmom]

doing research i have found out that the root can also be eaten, i have never heard of anyone eating the root back home though but as they say, you learn something new everyday.

[saddad]

I haven't tried it, but I like to try something "new" every year so who knows...   ::)

[thifasmom]

here is another good link with tips that might further tempt you saddad.

it is certainly tempting me and i simply donot have the room, i must remember to keep telling myself that :-\.

http://www.botany.com/sechium.html

[Eristic]

I've tried it several times in the past and have had flowers but never a fruit. If growing it under cover bear in mind that the rootstock is perennial but tender so if it can be coddled over winter it may produce in the second year.

[thifasmom]

Yes i have grown it before generally along a chain link fence but they are grown commercially in the cooler mountains on large expanses of interlocking bamboo like pergolas which allow the fruit to hang down making them easier to harvest from underneath.

i found a pic showing how its grown in Mexico, we also grow it similarly for commercial stocks.

http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Cucurbita/b1266tx.html

[aussiedigger]

In Australia we call them chokos.  In warmer parts, they grow pretty much anywhere - along a fence, up a tree - traditionally they were grown over the dunny (outhouse  / outside toilet).  They can cover a huge area, and are prolific fruiters.  If you miss one and it hits the ground, it invariably grows too, so your choko vine may in fact be several after a couple of years as the fruits are hard to spot in amongst the foliage. 

Because of the mild flavour, when times were tough they were often substituted for apples in crumbles and pies - peel, chop into chunks and gently cook them up with sugar and cinnamon.  My grandmother used to preserve them in jars like this and make them into 'apple pies' - nobody ever complained.   ;D

They make great pickles and chutney too and can go into stir fries, casseroles, soups.

Never go near my Dad when he's on the ride on mower and doing the bit near the choko vine - any that go under the blades are fired out like cannon balls!