How Long Does It Take to Grow Chayotes?

Growing Season

• A chayote vine takes three to five months from planting to produce harvestable fruit. In USDA zones 9 and warmer, chayote will continue producing year-round for three years or more. In USDA zone 8, chayote vines die back in winter and return from the roots the following spring. If you are growing chayote in USDA zone 7, plan to replant each spring from a fresh seed. Once you see flowers, and the bees pollinating them, you can expect ripe fruit within 35 days.

Sun, Soil and Water

• Plant chayote vines in an area that receives full sun for a minimum of six hours per day. Select a spot that has loamy soil with good drainage. Chayote vines will climb and spread rapidly during the growing season. Plant them 12 feet apart at the base of a trellis or fence. Plant a whole chayote fruit in spring after the last anticipated frost date. Dig a shallow hole, and put the wide end at the bottom and leave the narrow end sticking 1/2 inch out of the soil. Water chayote vines every 10 to 14 days through the growing season, soaking the soil 12 inches deep at each watering.

Fertilizer

• Fertilize chayote using 3 tablespoons of 5-10-5 formula sprinkled around the base. Apply the first application right after planting, then again four to six weeks after planting, and a third application when you notice the first green fruits starting to form. Whenever you add fertilizer to the soil, water the area until the soil is damp 12 inches deep. You can also amend the soil before planting by adding a 3- to 4-inch-deep layer of compost or seasoned manure to the planting bed and digging it into the top 12 inches of the soil. Water every one to two weeks through the growing season to provide consistent moisture.

Pests and Problems

• Keep an eye out for whiteflies, tiny white insects with wings; squash bugs, 5/8-inch-long hard bodied gray insects; and aphids, tiny soft-bodied insects that feed in clusters. Inspect your plants using a magnifying glass, inspecting areas under the leaves and along the stem where insects like to hide. If you find aphids, whitefly or squash bugs, spray the area with a pre-mixed insecticidal horticultural oil. Squash vine borer, a white caterpillar that turns into an orange-red moth when mature, is more difficult to control. Look for holes near the base of the plant and general wilting. Use a sharp knife to make a slit near the hole and remove any eggs, orange oval clusters, and caterpillars. Once infested, the plants may not recover.

Harvest Time

• By fall, you can start harvesting chayote fruits. When fully mature, they will be about 3 to 4 inches long with a thick, pale-green skin. Cut the fruit from the vine using a knife as they mature. For more delicate chayotes, start harvesting chayote as soon as they grow 1 to 2 inches long. Chayote vines will keep producing right up until the first frost. In mild climates, you can harvest chayote through the winter. To prepare chayote for cooking, peel off the thick skin, then boil, bake it or steam it.