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
      P P P P          

(Best months for growing Choko/Chayote in Australia - tropical regions)

  • P = Plant tubers
  • Easy to grow. Plant whole mature fruit when one produces a shoot at one end.. Best planted at soil temperatures between 15°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 100 cm 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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20 Feb 21, bushgirl (Australia - temperate climate)
If you have a warm corner, and can protect it from frost, you may be able to encourage it to grow for a couple of months. The idea is to help it mature enough to over-Winter and sprout again in Spring. Chokos can be temperamental in pots and planting direct in the ground, now, may expose it to being chilled earlier but the temperature in the earth will be more constant. Do not cover the crown of the choko with earth as your choko will rot. Leave top exposed a couple of centimetres and water around your choko, not on it, as this can also cause rot. Once they are established, with healthy leaves, they should withstand the odd over the top watering. They thrive is you have plenty of humus in the soil.
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08 Feb 21, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It says to plant Dec for temperate. If you are on the sub tropical side for weather MAYBE. If you have cooler weather probably not. You can give it a try.
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15 Jan 21, My Quach (Australia - temperate climate)
Choko leaves become yellow Please advise how to save my choko.
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18 Jan 21, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
Water and fertiliser
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26 Nov 20, Luna (Australia - tropical climate)
My choco leaves get burn dueing summer and the fruits become unhealthy . It also upset me because of some yellow beetles around which i always squeezed by hand.
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26 Nov 20, Anonymous (Australia - tropical climate)
By the guide here it is grown during the autumn and winter in the tropics. If you are growing during the summer then you probably need to water it every day. The yellow/orange beetles if they have little black dots on them could be lady beetles. They are good in the garden.
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17 Nov 20, Rob Alan (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a Choko vine. Fruited very well last year. Is starting to produce fruit but they are rotting on the vine. Does anyone have any idea why?
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18 Nov 20, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Phone an agronomist at an agric stocking/supply company.
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08 Nov 20, Joanne (Australia - temperate climate)
What causes leaf curl on choko vine.
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09 Nov 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Are they receiving enough water?
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Showing 31 - 40 of 221 comments
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Best I can suggest is keep a few of the very last ones of this crop. Put them in the pantry. They could take a few months before they start to sprout. The new vine could grow a few feet long by the time you plant. Or say spring time plant them in a 9L bucket or tin etc and grow them there until plant out time.

- Anonymous

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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