Who remembers The Great Chayote Growing Experiment of 2012? 2013? 2014? 2016? What about 2017? No? Don’t remember any of them?
Perhaps that’s because they all FAILED! I’ve tried to grow chayotes almost 10 times and have not once been successful. In 2017, I wrote, “I’ll never quit you, chayotes,” and then not long after, I quit them. Because all that rejection gets a person down!
But now they’re back. I saw one at the grocery store at the beginning of February and bought it on impulse. For the uninitiated, chayote is commonly called Mexican squash, and they’re loaded with vitamins and flavor. You can’t grow them from seed – they only germinate from within. My germination rate is great – they open their ugly mugs and spit out sprouts no problem. It’s after they get in the ground that I tend to lose them. Even though they should grow practically effortlessly here in the desert.
I figure we could all use a good distraction from Covid-19, so here for your viewing pleasure is a photo journey of the windowsill life of my chayote. Prepare to be mesmerized!
Please note, to get the full effect, it helps to scroll really, really fast.
Fasten your seat belts – he’s really going to get growing now!
Ok, I possibly oversold that a tad.
But I’ll bet for the last 20 seconds you didn’t think about the virus once! And therein lies the power of growing experiments. Chayotes don’t give a shit about Covid-19.
I put the ugly little guy in the ground a couple of weeks ago. It’ll either be the beginning of his new happy life in my garden, or his death spiral. As with everything else, we’ll have to wait and see. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for him.
Good To Grow 
14 comments
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March 31, 2020 at 3:56 pm
Nancy Mumpton
Oh, I remember all the years very well! LOL! Maybe it will work better here in Phoenix!
October 3, 2020 at 5:35 am
Lance Hill
I have seen a nursery that successfully grow chayote in Phoenix. The trick was they brought the seed from Mexico right across the border. I have not heard back from them since the pandemic, but a trip across the border to a locally grown vine would yield a variety that would grow well in Phoenix.
October 5, 2020 at 4:15 pm
goodtogrow
Lance, I hadn’t heard that. Do you remember which nursery? I’ll try calling around and see if I can find them. Thanks for the tip!
October 6, 2020 at 5:24 am
Lance Hill
Spadefoot. Hope you can organize an exploratory expedition to Mexico to find chayote already adapted to your climate.
October 5, 2020 at 4:13 pm
goodtogrow
Nancy, it died right away, lol!
October 6, 2020 at 5:17 am
Lance Hill
See our web site at Mirliton.Org We connect seed growers with buyers.
October 6, 2020 at 9:39 am
Nancy Mumpton
So sorry, Liza! https://www.spadefootnursery.com is the website address for the nursery Lance Hill suggested. They are in Tucson and have lots of native plants and seeds for the Sonoran Desert.
May 24, 2020 at 12:29 pm
Ivynettle
Hmm, I wonder if it would be possible to take cuttings of the stem before putting the plant/fruit in the ground? That way you could have a “backup” in case the original plant doesn’t make it, and could grow more plants without having to buy more fruits…
(I finally, finally convinced wordpress to let me log in again. Remains to be seen whether I can convince my brain to let me blog again…)
October 3, 2020 at 5:31 am
Lance Hill
Yes, you can grow chayote from cuttings once the plant has vined. See out faq page at Mirliton.Org on growing from cuttings.
October 5, 2020 at 4:14 pm
goodtogrow
Hi Ivynettle! I think I may have the wrong kind of chayote. I’m looking into it now.
October 3, 2020 at 5:28 am
Lance Hill
I am looking for chayote (mirliton) grown in the U.S. I realize that many people are buying chayote from grocery stores but those will sprout but snot fruit. Please view out web site at Mirliton.Org on the reasons for the need for adaptable varieties.
October 5, 2020 at 5:08 pm
goodtogrow
Lance, I never knew that. Do you know where I can get the kind that fruits? I’m going to check out your website now. Thanks!
October 6, 2020 at 5:21 am
Lance Hill
Just noticed you are in New Mexico. You can try our Louisiana variety but I have been trying for years to get someone to got to Nogales and find a locally grown Mexican variety. There are hundreds of people who want and need this low-altitude, high heat seed.
October 7, 2020 at 7:26 am
goodtogrow
Nancy, I looked at their website yesterday and they look amazing! I’m going to call them and see what they have – I’m just waiting for them to open. Btw, I never saw any of these comments until yesterday for some reason. Sorry about that!