If you’re looking for a productive and low-maintenance vine for your garden, learning how to grow chayote is a perfect project. This unique squash, also known as mirliton or vegetable pear, is surprisingly simple to cultivate and yields an abundant harvest.
Chayote is a perennial in warm climates, producing dozens of fruits from a single plant. It thrives on a sturdy trellis and asks for little more than sunshine and consistent water. With a few basic steps, you can enjoy your own homegrown chayote.
How To Grow Chayote
Success with chayote starts with understanding it’s a tender perennial. It’s sensitive to frost and needs a long, warm growing season. The entire fruit is planted, and from that one chayote, a vigorous vine will emerge.
What You’ll Need to Get Started
Gathering your supplies beforehand makes the process smooth. You won’t need much specialized equipment.
- One or more mature, unblemished chayote fruits from the grocery store or a garden supplier.
- A sunny garden spot or a very large container (at least 20 gallons).
- A strong trellis, arbor, or fence for the vine to climb.
- Well-draining soil amended with compost or aged manure.
- Basic garden tools: trowel, gloves, watering can or hose.
- Balanced, all-purpose organic fertilizer.
Choosing and Preparing Your Chayote Fruit
Not every chayote fruit is ready to become a plant. Selecting the right one is your first critical step.
Look for a large, firm fruit with a smooth, green skin. Avoid any that are wrinkled, soft, or have broken skin. The older the fruit is, the more likely it has begun to sprout inside, which is actually ideal. You might even see a small shoot emerging from the broad end.
To encourage sprouting, leave the chayote on your kitchen counter out of direct sunlight for a few weeks. It will develop a greenish shoot. Some gardeners place the fruit in a paper bag to speed up this process. Once it has a sprout about 1-2 inches long, it’s ready for planting.
Planting Your Chayote Step-by-Step
Planting is done directly in the ground in frost-free areas after the last spring frost. In cooler zones, you can start it indoors in a large pot a month before transplanting outside.
- Prepare the Soil: Choose a site with full sun (6-8 hours daily). Work the soil to a depth of 12 inches, mixing in several inches of compost. The soil should be rich and drain well.
- Plant the Fruit: Dig a hole about 4-6 inches deep. Place the entire chayote fruit on its side, at a 45-degree angle, with the broad, sprouted end pointing slightly upward and the stem end down. The top third of the fruit should be above the soil line.
- Cover and Water: Gently backfill the hole with soil, leaving the sprout exposed. Water the area thoroughly to settle the soil around the fruit. Be patient; it can take a few weeks for significant growth to appear above ground.
- Provide Support: Install your trellis at planting time. A sturdy structure is essential, as a mature vine can be over 30 feet long and will produce heavy fruit.
Caring for Your Growing Chayote Vine
Once established, chayote is quite self-sufficient. Consistent care during the growing season ensures a bigger harvest.
Watering and Feeding
Chayote vines need consistent moisture, especially when flowering and fruiting. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, through rainfall or irrigation. Water at the base to keep the leaves dry and prevent fungal diseases.
Feed your vine every 4-6 weeks with a balanced organic fertilizer. A side dressing of compost in mid-summer can also give it a boost. Too much nitrogen, however, will encourage leafy growth at the expense of flowers and fruit.
Training and Pruning
Guide the young tendrils onto your trellis. The vine will quickly take over. Pruning isn’t strictly necessary, but you can trim back overly aggressive runners to keep the plant manageable. Good air circulation within the foliage helps prevent disease.
Pollination and Flowering
Chayote produces separate male and female flowers on the same vine. Bees and other pollinators are crucial for transferring pollen. If you lack pollinators, you can try hand-pollinating by using a small brush to move pollen from a male flower to a female flower (the female has a small, immature fruit at its base).
Harvesting and Storing Your Chayote
The moment of reward! Harvest typically occurs in the fall, about 120-150 days after planting.
You can harvest chayote when they are small (4-6 inches) for a more tender texture, or let them grow to full size (6-10 inches). Use a sharp knife or pruners to cut the fruit from the vine, leaving a small stem attached. Handle them carefully, as the skin can bruise easily.
Fresh chayote can be stored in a perforated plastic bag in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer for 2-4 weeks. For longer storage, they can be peeled, sliced, and frozen. The tubers (roots) of the plant are also edible and can be harvested like potatoes after the vine dies back.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Chayote is relatively pest-resistant, but a few issues can occassionally arise.
- Aphids: These small insects cluster on new growth. Blast them off with a strong jet of water or use insecticidal soap.
- Powdery Mildew: Appears as white powder on leaves. Improve air flow, avoid overhead watering, and treat with a fungicide if neccessary.
- Poor Fruiting: Often caused by lack of pollination or excessive shade. Attract pollinators or try hand-pollination.
- Frost Damage: The vine is very frost-sensitive. In marginal climates, mulch heavily over the base after the vine dies back to protect the roots for next season.
Growing Chayote in Cooler Climates
Don’t dispair if you have shorter summers. You can still grow chayote with a few adjustments.
Start the sprouted fruit indoors in a large 5-gallon pot several weeks before your last frost date. Use a grow light if you don’t have a super sunny window. Transplant the entire pot contents outside once the soil has warmed and all danger of frost has passed. Choose the sunniest, most sheltered spot in your garden, perhaps against a south-facing wall. The season may be shorter, but you should still get a respectable harvest before the first fall frost.
FAQ About Growing Chayote
Can I grow chayote from a cutting?
Yes, you can propagate chayote from stem cuttings taken from a mature vine, but starting from a fruit is generally easier and more reliable for most home gardeners.
How long does it take for chayote to bear fruit?
From planting a sprouted fruit, it typically takes 4 to 5 months for the vine to begin producing harvestable chayote squash. It needs that long growing season.
Is chayote a perennial?
In USDA zones 8 and warmer (where ground doesn’t freeze), chayote is a perennial. The vine will die back after fruiting but regrow from its roots in spring. In cooler zones, it’s grown as an annual.
What parts of chayote are edible?
The entire plant is edible! The fruit is most common, but the young shoots and leaves can be cooked like greens, and the large tuberous roots are starchy and can be prepared like yams or potatoes.
Why is my chayote vine flowering but not producing fruit?
This is usually a pollination issue. The flowers might not be getting pollinated. Encourage bees by planting flowers nearby, or try hand-pollinating the flowers yourself to improve fruit set.
Do I need more than one chayote plant?
No, you do not. A single chayote plant produces both male and female flowers, so it is self-fertile. One vigorous vine is often plenty for a household, as it can produce dozens of fruits.
Growing chayote is a rewarding endevour that offers a large yield from minimal effort. By following these simple steps—choosing a good fruit, providing strong support, and giving it basic care—you’ll be well on your way to enjoying your own homegrown supply of this versatile vegetable. Remember, the key is a warm season and patience as the vine establishes itself before its impressive fall bounty.