Growing Chayote Squash in a bucket.

[StevePots]

I'm so happy with my Chayote Squash's progress that I just had to share a photo.


If you don't know about this one. It's a perennial vine plant that produces a very odd looking fruit. Here is a pic I found.

image credit - https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce ... sh_538.php
One of my goals in my garden is to have as many perennial food producers as possible.
The fruit is actually one large seed. I found the fruit at Walmart. I bought three. The kids and I sampled one and I kept the other two on top of the fridge. No special care was given to them. Soon the fruite opened a bit and I could see a small tongue poke out. I planted both the fruits at a 45 degree angle with the mouths pointing upwards.

Took almost a month and a half from the time I bought the fruit to the time I planted them but in the last three days they have jumped. quite a bit. Hoping for a fence full of Chayote Squash soon.

[imafan26]

You will get about a fence full in a short time. I never tried it in a bucket. I just throw the fruit by the fence and let it take care of itself.

Chayote fruits best at higher elevations around 1000 ft. I live at 603 ft and they fruit there too. But, when you get closer to sea level (17ft) , the vine grows but there are very few if any fruit. Fruiting is better in the cooler months and the vine tips also make a good salad with tomato, onion, calamondin juice, and a little fish sauce or salt.

The fruit grow quickly. Very young fruit can be made into pickles and don't even need to be peeled, but within a few days the fruit will get so big the seed will be large too. You can eat larger fruit as long as the seed is not coming out the hind end, by then, it is only good for planting.

During the summer months the vine contracts and does not grow much, but it can pretty much live on rain.