Growing Choko/Chayote, also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton

Sechium edule : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions

  • Easy to grow. Plant whole mature fruit when one produces a shoot at one end.. Best planted at soil temperatures between 59°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 39 inches apart
  • Harvest in 17-25 weeks. Best when fruit is light green and not more than 6 cm long.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Cucumbers

Your comments and tips

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13 May 23, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Spread some epsom salts around the root base and water in. It could be blossom end rot. Happens in tomatoes - maybe chokes also. I good hand full or two in a bucket or two of water and spread evenly.
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21 Feb 23, Melanie (Australia - temperate climate)
I’ve heard that if you are growing chokos u need a male and female for them to flower properly I can’t get mine to flower?
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22 Feb 23, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Don't know about the male female thing. Has to have plenty of sun.
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14 Feb 23, Rianna Rothman (New Zealand - temperate climate)
My choko is growing like crazy, planted in May 2022 but still no flowers or fruit. When will it start flowering?
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22 Feb 23, (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Back off fertilising it and cut the watering down.
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05 Dec 22, Tamra Stafford (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Our choko vine produces very well, but the majority of the chokos appear to be stung or dimpled. What is doing this, and can we stop it.
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24 Nov 22, Beeve (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Where can we actually get a choko, to grow
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26 Jul 22, Nori (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
When do I start cutting down the plant. Is it during winter season? Tks
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27 Jul 22, Julie Pannell (Australia - temperate climate)
Cut back the vines to about 12 inches above ground after the last choko has been picked, closer to the end of winter. They will have very little growth for ages and then grow again when the time is right. The leaves can be dead at the beginning of vines but still keep fruit growing at the ends. They fruit for many months.
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27 Jun 22, Virginia de Joux (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi - wondering if you have any choko plants spare? I am struggling to find a seed source.
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