How to Grow Chayote in Container? Step by Step Guide with Tips: The chayote is not a vegetable but a fruit that is eaten universally eaten like a vegetable. Have you ever tasted the chayote fruit? It is eaten far and wide in the world and has various names. It also has a wide range of health benefits to prevent many diseases. Due to several benefits of Chayote, people worldwide are trying to grow this plant.
While it’s a great idea to add chayote to your garden, it’s normal to wonder how to grow chayote in a container if you don’t have ample space. This article will give you a detailed idea about the whole procedure of planting, caring, and everything about the legality of growing chayote. Try to follow the process carefully, as you always want your efforts to get counted.
Contents
About Chayote
Chayote is a light green fruit with a pear shape. It is mainly known as a vegetable pear in the United States and chayote in Mexico. But the origin of chayote is central America. It mainly grows in cold-sensitive areas. Chayote plants can quickly be harvested and suitable for warm places. This warm-season and tender perennial can be grown from a container, and it will taste delicious. The chayote squashes are prepared like vegetables. Every part of it, like skin, flesh, seeds, can be eaten; even the squash can be cooked or eaten raw. Indeed, a great addition to the list.
So, are you planning to grow this in your backyard with an easy process and less time? Then you can use a container. Chayote can be grown in a container about 24 inches deep. This plant can excellent climber and need a system to climb. A container then can be a perfect choice for its overall growth.
There is various kind of chayote. The green pear chayote is commonly found and planted all over. All of them may be or may not be beneficial, though. The other types of chayote are:
-
Wild Varieties
These are wild types of chayote that grow in ravines, streams, near river areas. Has larger leaves and are vigorous growers.
-
Chayote de Caballo
It is a kind of common chayote and grows in a similar location to chayote.
-
Cabeza de change
It is a rare type of Chayote species found only in Mexico.
Some Aspects to think about before Growing Chayote
If you are planning to grow chayote, you might think about other facts that should be considered before planting. The other facts to consider are:
-
Correct time to plant
There is always a correct time to plant a fruit or vegetable. For chayote, the time is to plant 3-4 weeks after the last frost in spring. Chayote best grows when summer temperatures are warm to hot and suitable in tropical or subtropical regions.
-
Planning and spacing
These plants grow fast, so they need a support system to grow more. End enough space to grow freely. But there should not be any maturing fruit in contact with the soil. It will then spoil the germination process. A chayote fertilizer can help in the growing process.
Learn more about Why Is the Colour of Plant Pots Important?
-
Companion plants
There are many companion plants of chayote like squash, corn, pumpkin. But do not try to grow it with celery, mind it will damage the plant growth.
How to Grow Chayote in Container?
Chayote is not all-time fruit. There are specific seasons that usually grow like hard frost season. But it does require enough care and attention, whether it’s growing on a container or pot. The best steps to grow chayote in a container are:
Step: 1
Instead of using a plant, the chayote seeds can grow. It can come from chayote fruit, so it’s best if you buy it in the fall season. Better to store the seeds in a cold area or dark place. The seeds in the fruit will sprout and emerge well when put in a dark place. In the fall season, the seedlings will be like 6 inches long.
Step: 2
- Start by planting chayote fruit in a 5-gallon and 26-inch-deep container with a moist soil mixture.
- There should be an equal portion of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite.
- Bring the soil to the centre to make space for the chayote.
- It should be buried about $-6 inches deep, the tip barely showing and slanted with the sprouted end down, and the stem end should be equal with your soil.
- Then place one plant per container to prevent overcrowding.
Never grow the chayote with the mind leaves, celery, snap beans.
Step: 3
- Put the chayote container in a location where there is full sunlight. The chayote plant should get a lot of sunlight; the place can be near a window or balcony.
- By observing the plant, you can easily see its growth.
- But if there is no growth but pale green leaves or spindly foliage, then the plant is not getting enough light.
Step: 4
- When the soil is dry, water the chayote plant.
- You can touch the soil with a figure, and if you see dryness, then water should be pouring well.
- Regular watering is a must need. Twice watering a day is perfect.
- Enough moisture in a container will lead it to good growth.
- They require humidity as they are tropical plants.
- To do this, place the container on a bed with damp marbles, feed the plant with a liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks.
- It is also better to side-dress it every 4 to 6 weeks in the growing season and age compost during the midseason.
Step: 5
- Once the chayote grows taller, invest and install a trellis in the container.
- In the winter, do protect it from thick mulch.
- The vines would die back from the first frost, but the fruits would not be harmed.
- Store the container in a cool area such as a garage or cool basement unstill the spring season comes.
- Mulch, the chayote plant soil, can take the moisture using many inches of mulch.
- Be sure that the season is perfect, like long summer and hot weather.
Step: 6
- The final step will show the process is successful or not as after applying all this, the harvested fruits will be tender and around 4-6 inches in diameter.
- Do prune or cut the fruit with a knife.
- Make sure you do this before the flesh hardens, as it will affect the taste and texture while eating.
Learn more about Is It Safe to Grow Vegetables in Plastic Containers?
However, it needs proper care and sunlight for the healthy growth of chayote. So, if you are planning to grow chayote, understand and apply the steps mentioned above properly. It is essential to give chayote plants the suitable space, nourishment, sunlight, water. By this, the fruit will come healthy, and it will be more tender to eat. Using all the steps, that plant will survive and stay healthy for a longer period.
Final Thoughts: How to Grow Chayote in Container?
The process is easy, and you can start it right away using only a container. But the recommended steps should be followed very well, and there is no shortcut in the steps. The outcomes rely entirely on how you are treating the plants. We hope this article helped you get a clear idea of how to grow chayote in a container.