Vegetable · Vining fruit
Chayote
Sechium eduleAn unusual, sprawling vine grown for its pale green, pear-shaped fruit — propagated not from seed but from a whole sprouted fruit laid on its side in the soil. It needs a long, warm, frost-free stretch, since flowering is triggered by the shortening days of late summer and autumn. The one rule: give it a sturdy trellis or fence, since a single vine can cover many meters.
Sow depth
N/A — plant whole sprouted fruit
Spacing
10 ft apart, trellised
Sun
Full sun
Germination
N/A — sprouts from the fruit
Time to harvest
140–160 days
Difficulty
Challenging
When to sow chayote
- Sow from about 3 weeks after your last expected frost until about 5 weeks after your last expected frost.
Sprout indoors first — rest the whole fruit on its side somewhere warm until a shoot appears.Plant outdoors 3–4 weeks after the last frost, once soil has warmed.Bury the fruit at a slight angle with the narrow, sprouting end just above soil.
Provide a strong trellis — vines are vigorous and can spread widely in a season.Water deeply and regularly; the shallow roots dislike drying out.Feed occasionally through summer to support the vine's rapid growth.
Pick fruit young, at 4–8 in, while the skin is still tender.Expect flowers only once days shorten in late summer or autumn.Harvest continues right up to the first frost, which kills the vine back.
Companion plants
Low-growing herbs and greens make use of the cool shade cast under the trellis, while other cucurbits nearby invite the same pests and diseases.
Watch out for
Squash vine borer — Larvae tunnel into stems near the base. Wrap the lower stem in foil or fabric and check for entry holes.Root rot — Sets in on waterlogged soil around the crown. Plant on a slight mound with sharp drainage.