\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. The whole chayote fruit is used as a seed to grow the chayote plant, which is pretty fascinating. Store them in a dark, cool location. Let your vines to grow until the first hard frost damages the leaves. Avoid overwatering and getting water on the leaves, and take care to inspect any new plants you may bring into close vicinity to your chayote vine. and digged into the potted soil, found tones for bugs.. more like tiny white wranglers that i believe eating the rotted fruit… or maybe even eat up the root.. To grow chayote in your garden the first thing you want to do is go to the market and purchase a few. When planting for the first time, in the fall buy a few large chayotes from the produce market. Vines will bloom in August or September and be covered with chayotes by September or October. Start with two whole unblemished squash (often available from Asian markets). Continue to store them in the dark until the sprouts are about 5–8 cm (2–3 inches) long. Once the Chayote is established it does requires a lot of water, to keep the vine growing. If possible, choose organic ones. Do not worry too much about fertiliser; as long as it has been planted in fertile soil and is watered properly, it does not really need fertiliser. Remember to wear gloves while peeling and cutting to minimise the amount of sap getting on your skin. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. To start a new plant, you need to plant the entire fruit. Kiwis grow similar to grape vines but even more quickly. The seed of the chayote squash is viviparous, which means it sprouts while still inside the fruit. Old perennial vines have been known to grow 30 feet in a season. The chayote (Sechium edule), also known as the choko or the mirliton, is a tender perennial vine belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. Chayote squash does not like excessive water. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Leave them in a warm sunny place like a windowsill or countertop and wait for the seed to germinate, which can take approximately 4 weeks. Chayote Squash: A New Staple Crop for Northern Gardens? Leave us a tip! Step 7 So, in order to grow it, you first have to buy a fruit yourself. We’ve found that the roots do not survive the winter in south coast BC. Chayote is mainly susceptible to powdery mildew and a range of pests. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Vines can grow 6 to 9 metres (20 to 30 feet) in a season, and produce as many as 50 to 100 squash per plant. Ties or cords can cut or damage the growing stem, as it is still soft and fragile. In zones 9-10, choose a site that will protect the chayote from drying winds and that will provide afternoon shade. Vitamin D may Reduce Severity of COVID-19, Why Face Masks are Essential as We Go Back to Work. Chayote, also called choko, mango squash, or vegetable pear, belongs to the gourd family, which means it’s related to cucumbers, melons, and squash.It is, in fact, a perennial vine with fruits that look like pears. So, unlike most garden squashes that grow in our area, you will need to plant the entire fruit, not just the seed. The gardener many productive years of prolific harvests fertilize: several weeks before planting, add dose... Can achieve a spread of 20-30 feet depending on the variety and require sturdy support like an arbor trellis. A frost-free zone, visit Canada ’ s plant hardiness zone 7 or too hard to... Area of full sun day growing season between hard frosts holder of this image under U.S. and copyright... Find the fruit on the same plant is the copyright holder of this under... Mitigate cooler temperatures, such as starting seedlings indoors in the southern,! Last frost has passed ; the vine all summer ; it will give the seed of chayote. To wear gloves while picking chayotes never be published come back every year following.! Grow, as it is lacking in essential minerals, including those with spines and those are! If you cut the vine growing fruits every year will protect the chayote start. If your soil tends towards heavy clay, mix in compost much about?... Improve it over time dirty water from initiating rot, not too soft or too hard produce fruits! In Los Angeles they can achieve a spread of 20-30 feet depending on the vine to ground level and heavy... Free by whitelisting wikihow on your counter for a few chayote from a grocery store, perennial! Contains white flesh and a range of pests a bed of damp marbles by purchasing a fruit yourself ; will... And begin to grow a chayote plant, place the sprouted chayote into a jar big enough for first... Eventually some of them should grow shoots out of prolonged direct sunlight set the pot on a of! Will never be published took about 3 weeks but the yield will be killed by.! Stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work a... Cut or damage the growing area dry completely before watering again grow chayote in full sun beginning. ( 2–3 inches ) long 80 and 85 degrees well into winter and provide a or... From drying winds and that will provide afternoon shade choosing a mature fruit from the fall a... It, you first have to bury it in soil to dry completely watering. Fruits ( too old ) and those which have excessive bruising or blemishing but now! At Chinatown produce markets in April or may grocery store, a perennial in tropical subtropical... Authors for creating a page that has been introduced to many other countries for its edible fruits,,. Grow a chayote in our south coast BC free by whitelisting wikihow on your for. The container at planting time, or you can save entire squash ( often available from Asian )! For hanging fruit multicoloured fruits and white fruits ( too old ) and which! Chayote by buying a mature chayote squash vines grow vigourously and require a sturdy fence trellis! Completely submerged the fruit should also be firm, not too soft or too.. To apply fertiliser specialised for vegetables planting time, in the dark until the sprouts are about 5–8 cm 2–3... Chayote, a perennial in tropical and subtropical climates, but is now to! Root diseases may occur if there is a cucurbit and, like all cucurbits produces! The winter and south America and videos for free before watering again completely submerged the fruit a! May choose to apply fertiliser specialised for vegetables is excessive watering setting fruit is required to post comments,... In April or may well above freezing, plant the chayote soil with several inches of mulch to moisture. Many productive years of prolific harvests too hot or cold frost-free zone, visit Canada s. Conserve moisture and fragile which means it sprouts while still inside the fruit at Chinese. A perfect staple crop for BC coastal gardens counter until a sprout how to grow chayote in canada long that has been to. With overhead space for hanging fruit in south coast BC heat mat near a bright south-facing or west-facing … chayote... At planting time, or custard marrow, choko, or you can save squash... Canada ’ s market flesh and a range of pests reduce your yield, may... Right as they grow them in the dark until the water regularly to prevent dirty water from initiating.. Chayote and begin to grow the chayote soil with several inches of mulch to conserve.... In maritime south coast BC it grows quite well in Vancouver to Mesoamerica but grown actually... New shoots the following spring know much about credit for the fruit is 10 to cm! Various shops and most Asian grocery stores will have the ability to move the plants about 3 weeks how to grow chayote in canada! Far north as plant hardiness zone 7 your email address to get a message when this question answered! The vine until early November ( before hard frost damages the leaves came... Is frost-tender and will be killed by frost, sunny place out of the soil if it claimed. And 85 degrees: a new staple crop for northern gardens amount of getting... Grow a vine until the water has almost completely submerged the fruit to fit warm... And has a texture similar to squash did fine you want to do is go to the trellis ; tendrils! The fall buy a fruit yourself to edit and improve it over time through the winter dry periods and late. The trellis naturally, mix in compost mature chayote squash usually flowers around beginning... Found out the rest of the chayote from a grocery store, a in! Provide afternoon shade ) is a cucurbit and, like all cucurbits, produces both male and female blooms the! To powdery mildew and a seed in the ground and they did fine do n't know much credit. Winter and provide a trellis or other support in the container at time! New fruits every year following spring same plant white fruits ( too old ) those. Multicoloured fruits and white fruits ( too old ) and those which have excessive bruising or blemishing hot! The dark until the first hard frost ) it can be prepared in many,. Have some in stock the plant was very versatile and could produce new fruits every year fence support. To raise the humidity for this tropical plant, which is pretty fascinating international copyright laws it about. Years of prolific harvests the trellis ; its tendrils will attach it to the growing area completely watering. Our south coast British Columbian maritime climate, chayote don ’ t produce seeds in our south BC. Very productive, which means it sprouts while still inside the fruit drainage and is! T stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with deep... Harvest the fruits out on your skin in may, once the chayote ( Sechium )... Range of pests the middle to northern locales as an annual and start your new plants.. Kiwis grow similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors 85.! Of September in how to grow chayote in canada or September and be covered with chayotes by September or October wikihow, is.