Chayote
UC Links
How to grow
How to Grow Chayote (Youtube video)
Pest management
Chayote has similar pests and diseases to those affecting squash and pumpkin
The Basics
Chayote—a member of the cucurbit family (along with cucumber, melons, and squash)—is a perennial vine which produces edible vegetables used in cooking and used raw in salads and salsas.
When to plant
Plant seed or sprouted fruit May–September (maybe April and October)
Harvest window
- As a short day plant, chayote only initiates flowering when day length is less than about 12 hours.
- Fruit development takes 1–2 months after pollination.
- Harvest when the fruit is about 4–6 inches in diameter, at 4–5 months after planting.
Care overview
- Chayote is a perennial plant, but it's good practice to renew it at least every three years due to potential disease problems.
- Propagate by seed or by planting a whole, sprouted chayote fruit on its side, leaving the sprout above the soil.
- Support it with a strong trellis for its vigorous climbing vine.
- Without pruning, chayote vine may grow to more than 10 meters long. Prune vines for a better harvest.
Video
- How to Grow Chayote [3:24]
Other Links
- Chayote, Purdue University, Horticulture & Landscape Architecture