Why Grow Chayote?
- Low maintenance and beginner-friendly
- Produces lots of fruit per plant
- Grows fast and can cover fences or trellises beautifully
- Every part is useful: fruit, shoots, roots, and even young leaves
Step 1: Choose the Right Chayote
- Pick a fresh, mature chayote from the grocery store. Look for one that’s:
- Firm
- Uncut and unpeeled
- Starting to sprout (a small green shoot emerging from the base is a great sign!)
- If it hasn’t sprouted yet, just leave it in a warm, dark place for a week or two. It will start growing on its own.
Step 2: Plant the Whole Fruit
- Unlike other fruits with seeds, chayote grows from the whole fruit. Here’s how:
- Choose a sunny spot or a large container with rich, well-draining soil.
- Dig a hole about 4–6 inches deep.
- Place the chayote at an angle, with the sprout sticking out of the soil.
- Cover lightly with soil, water well, and keep it moist.
- Tip: Chayote loves warm weather. Plant it after the last frost if you’re in a cooler climate.
Step 3: Support & Care
- Provide a trellis or fence—chayote is a climbing vine.
- Water regularly, but don’t overwater.
- Add compost or natural fertilizer every few weeks.
- Watch it grow—vines can reach 20 feet or more!
Harvest Time!
- After 3–4 months, your plant will start producing fruit.
- Harvest when fruits are still tender and about the size of your fist.
- The more you harvest, the more it produces!
Bonus: Many Fruits from One Plant
A single healthy plant can produce 30 to 100 fruits in a season, depending on growing conditions. That’s a lot of homegrown goodness from one supermarket purchase!
Final Thoughts
Growing chayote is a fun and easy project—even for beginners. It’s cost-effective, eco-friendly, and produces a delicious harvest with very little effort. Whether you have a garden or just a sunny balcony, you can grow chayote and enjoy nature’s generosity from a single fruit.
