Wanted: CHAYOTE SQUASH (Mirliton, Christophene)

CHAYOTE SQUASH, Mirliton, Christophene
http://www.foodreference.com/html/art-chayote-squash.html

I have these veggie seeds to trade: radish, spinach, kale, purple top turnips, sweet banana pepper

If you do not have any but know where I can purchase the seeds please let me know. They are grown in LA, CA & TX

Any help is appreciated.

Judy

Oops according to this website I have to have the whole squash to root a plant.

http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/encyclopaedia!openframeset&frame=Right&Src=/edible.nsf/pages/ed.1019!opendocument

This may be a fool's errand, but I'm going to give it a try if I can just find some squash to buy. lol lol

Judy

And did the article say you need both a male and a female for these to grow? I'm from New Orleans, and learned about this "through the grapevine". Although, in this case it would be "through the merliton vine!"

No it didn't!!!

I bought one of these at the grocery and cooked it. In my opinion it is better than yellow squash and has a firmer texture. I'm afraid one from the grocery that was imported won't produce a vine, but if all else fails I'll buy several of those and try to grow them. It will be a challenge since we have fewer growing days than you all do and it gets colder here during the winter but maybe I can find a way.

Thanks for the tip on the male and female plants.

Judy

I always grew mirlitons(chayotes) from other mirlitons. I think a mirliton ** is ** the seed. Perhaps someone will trade you one that they grew, but the ones in the store might very well grow. They are delicious. Louisiana people scoop out the meat of the squash, chop it up, mix it with seasoning and breadcrumbs and shrimp and talk about good! Emiril has a recipe that I haven't tried but have been tempted to try for pickled mirliton in his book. I have heard that you have to have a male and a female, but I am not convinced. Maybe Farmerdill can straighten us out on that.

Hopefully this time it will work. I added another that has a little more about propagation.

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/our_offices/parishes/St.+Charles/Features/Horticulture/Grow+Mirlitons+in+the+Home+Garden.htm

http://www.rain.org/greennet/docs/exoticveggies/html/chayote.htm

This message was edited Feb 21, 2007 5:13 PM
I think they should grow very well in SC because you get hot weather.

This message was edited Feb 21, 2007 5:15 PM

Deleted duplicate.

This message was edited Feb 21, 2007 5:18 PM

pajaritomt

I couldn't get the link to work. Will you try linking it again.

Thanks so much

Judy

I tried again and whatever DG does to my link doesn't work. Here is how I found it. I went to google and searched for :

grow mirliton


The one from LSU came up first. The second link works, though and has more info.

More on the first link. It does bring you to a search page for the LSU Ag Center. If you type mirliton into the search box, you will get several good articles including one that says the same plant has both male and female flowers. I also learned there that it is a relative of the cucumber. No wonder Emiril pickles them.. ( The book that appears in is Louisiana Real and Rustic.)

This message was edited Feb 21, 2007 5:24 PM

pajaritomt


Thank you so very much!!! I appreciate you taking the time to get this information.

Judy

My pleasure. Brings back pleasant memories of growing and eating mirlitons in my Louisiana childhood. Growing them is an agricultural feat about as hard as growing a sweet potato in a jar which all of us kids used to do for science projects. I.E. easy

Wikipedia

Although most people are familiar only with the fruit, which in culinary terms is a vegetable, the root, stem, seeds, and leaves are all edible.


The fruit does not need to be peeled and can be eaten raw in salads. It can also be boiled, stuffed, mashed, baked, fried, or pickled. Both the fruit and the seed are rich in amino acids and vitamin C.

The tuberous part of the root is starchy and is both eaten by humans and used as cattle fodder.

The leaves and fruit have diuretic, cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties, and a tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and hypertension, and to dissolve kidney stones.

-------------------

Interesting don't you think!!!

Judy




This message was edited Feb 21, 2007 7:55 PM

I haven't read all the above so pardon me if this has been corrected, but each plant will have male and female flowers. Very similar to summer squash or cucumbers in growth.

Also, some people (not all) are very allergic to the leaves (though you can eat them).

Judy,
The male and female flowers are carried on the same plant.
http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/kitchen/2002su_chayote.html
http://www.floridata.com/ref/s/sech_edu.cfm?menu=0&CFID=4512133&CFTOKEN=35426786

Deleted repetition.

This message was edited Feb 22, 2007 9:35 AM

And I posted that Stuffed Merliton recipe on one of the recipe threads, and darn if I CAN'T find it!!!! It was stuffed with ground beef, ham, and shrimp and you'd still be slappin' people who reached for one more!!!

If anyone remembers where that recipe thread is (it was a post where one of the other DGers from Louisiana had posted almost 12 other Louisiana recipes!) PLEASE send the link. Thanks!

NEVER MIND, YA'LL! I FOUND THE LINK MYSELF!

http://davesgarden.com/forums/p.php?pid=2972204

Here's another article:

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/chayotes.htm

The entire fruit is planted - when you select your specimen at the store, look at the base of it for the "bud" - it looks like a seed partially inserted. I haven't grown it, but a neighbor did. The vine can grow to 10 feet. Sadly, I had to move away before the fruit was large enough to sample. Another project to add to my list for this year.

Yuska

Will the fruit eventually develop the bud? I was in Bastrop a few weeks ago and none of the chayote had buds. The local grocery store here in La Grange carries only the common veggies. I have to go back to Bastrop to get some chayote. Then I have to convince my DH that I need some 'T' posts and cattle panels.

I suspect most chayotes that you purchase will develop buds, but I can't guarantee it. I don't know where mine came from when I grew them as a child, but the following came from one of the links above ( www. rain.org):

>>Propagation and care. Some type of trellis or support is required to produce chayotes. Structures similar to grape arbors are frequently used. With vine growth trained over the top, fruits can be harvested from below. Vertical trellises are also used. Plant one fruit per hill, in hills spaced 12 feet apart and in rows spaced 12 feet apart. Stem cuttings may provide greater uniformity of plant type. Plant the whole fruit on its side with the stem end sloping upward. Fruit obtained from a supermarket will sprout when kept in subdued light, and are ideal for planting. Fertilization is similar to summer squash. In many areas both nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer is required. Irrigation may be required one to two times per week depending on temperature and soil texture. Over mature fruit will sprout on the vine and are still edible depending on the cuisine prepared.<<

The following is from the LSU web site:

November is a good time of year to acquire mirliton and to select quality seed for planting in the home garden; however, the mirliton seed selected need to be stored during the winter for planting in the spring.

>>To store them properly, wrap each seed separately in newspaper and place in a box or crate in a cool area such as in the garage or storage shed. Do not refrigerate the seed. Be sure to allow some air circulation from time to time to keep them cool.<<

I don't know what to expect of the ones bought in February but I bet they will sprout too.



This message was edited Feb 22, 2007 6:18 PM

Chayote, i eat raw by slicing them thin. it is sweet, has almost like apple texture and flavor. i also like to sauté in garlic, onions and tomatoes... u can add meat, i prefer it simple, yet very tasty. i also like it in boiled chicken.

like any other plant, the bud comes 1st, then the flower matures and becomes the chayote fruit. sorry i am not use to calling them Merlitons.

the fruit of chayote, once matured will become ur seeds. if u are planning to grow them, be sure to have a very strong area for the vine to crawl on... they tend to grow wild and unruly if left unattended LOL. a former neighbor in L.A., built a trellis for their chayote to crawl on, it eventually took all over the yard including their two car garage.

Judy, i got u covered on the chayote. are u on the addy exchange? there were an abundant supply in the Latino market where i shop. i do not need anything in exchange.

MaVieRose

How dear you are!!! Please allow me to pay and also for the postage. How do you want to handle the transfer, PayPal or snail mail? Just let me know $ and how to get it to you.

Thank you so very much.

Judy

This message was edited Feb 23, 2007 10:13 AM

Does anyone know why it can't be grown (or can it?) as a ground rambler rather than up something? Is it just a matter of space?

Space is an issue - stepping around and through the vines without damaging them is a challenge to one's balance. I'd guess the primary reason for trellising is maximum fruit production. The fruits are prone to rotting when wet and if grown on the ground should have a good under layer of straw or other dry mulch. Yuska

Judy,

do not worry about anything. i will d-mail the Del. Confirm. # when i mail it. right now, we are having frosty temperatures, not an ideal time to mail anything fragile. as i write, the temp is 27 degs. F and will go lower as morning approaches.

the skin of chayote are very thin and tender... the reason why they are grown in trellises. the fruit need to be suspended in the air. what my ex neighbor did was build the trellis high enough that they can walk underneath. it created a nice shaded patio area for their use during the summer time.

if u are picking or buying chayote fruit, for eating, chose light green color. once the skin color become almost whitish in color, the seed inside begins to form... therefore the fruit is not longer edible and is fibrous. as the fruit matures, the seed will begin to slowly emerge from the bottom part. hth.

edited to delete the degree symbol cuz it does not look right.

This message was edited Feb 24, 2007 9:25 AM

Great Information MaVie!! Thank you so very much for taking the time.

Judy

u're welcome :D! it is always a pleasure to give a helping hand.

oh! another thing, when u peel the skin, do it under running water. i do not know the English term but as u peel, there is a juice on the skin of chayote. if u do not peel in running water, the juice sticks to ur hand like glue [give one an ickie feeling.] so far, i have not figured yet how to take the juice off my hand. another fruit that does that is the green papaya. eventually, it will wash off. it is a big thing for me, as i can not stand the feeling of something stuck on the skin of my hand.

u can also rub some oil in ur hand before taking off the peel of chayote. i do not like using the oil cuz the chayote slips off my hand as i peel under water. my hands are small, my hand does not have good grip on a chayote fruit under running water,

it is a wee bit past 6:00 a.m., outside temperature is 25 degs. F!

Well, i followed the directions and mine are doing well!

Anyone else growing them?

I had 3 to sprout, but only one has done so at present. I haven't planted it outside because we've had such crazy weather with the freeze last week and it was cold at night afterward, but it has since warmed up, not going below 40 at night for the next 10 days or so now.

A side view

You could put that last pic in a merliton commercial! "Chayote -- it's the OTHER white meat squash!"

too funny!!!

Very funny!! I just bought a chayote and I'm not sure how I'm going to cook it. I was hoping I could try growing it here but I don't think it's warm enough.

I didn't wait for mine to sprout. I planted three of them with just the pointy bit out of the soil and it turned wrinkly and black (looked rotten) but roots were coming out of the bottom of the pot. Now (about three weeks since i planted) big sprouts with leaves are up about 3 inches.

I'll try and take pics later this evening.

We like our Chayote grilled with kabobs. A few seasonings and extra virgin olive oil to coat, cook till tender. yum!

I like chayote stuffed. Take out its meat, chop it. Mix it with seasonings and browned ground meat of some sort. Makes a nice main dish or appetizer. Shrimp and crab work very well instead of meat.

tombaak

Your method of growing it was exactly what I had planned to do, but Mother Nature pulled a fast one on me .... now I realize I should have planted it then covered it with a clear storage box from Wal-Mart turned over the top, that is how I saved my hosta from the week long freeze we just had.

I would love to see a picture of yours.

Judy

Thanks everyone for your cooking suggestions, they all sound so GOOD!!

Judy

Stuffed Merliton Recipe

(in Louisiana, pronounced "Millie Ton", with the "ton" pronounced as in lessez les bon ton roulet!)

[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]

Judy,
Can't find the camera, I'll ask my husband if he has seen it this evening.

I started mine a while ago because i have a very short growing season and the websites i looked at gave 150 days before fruiting!

MMM I love Chayote and have several recipes that are good.. When I was in Costa Rice they peeled them, cut them up and put them in stew jsut like potatoes.. We used to have Chayote, Yucca and Potato with chicken.. yummmm.. Ok..grilling it is good also.. Here is my question.. Do you have to have a very long season to get ripe ones? Most of you who have grown them before seem to be in the southern climes. I rarely see them in the store either.. I have to get some because i have wonderful visions of putting a mirliton arbor at the entrance to my veggie garden..

Once i find the one grilling recipe I will come back and post it

From one of the above websites:

Culture
Chayotes need a long, warm growing season. Provide a strong trellis or tree. Growing more than one chayote vine should improve pollination and result in more fruits.
Light: Chayote vines need full sun.
Moisture: Water chayote plants freely throughout the growing season.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 8-11. Chayote vines are usually perennial, returning in spring after light freezes kill the vine to the ground in winter. Be sure to mulch the root before a hard freeze. On the other hand, chayote is often grown as an annual in areas where freezing weather is common. Note, however, that at least five or six months of growing season is required to get fruits. In frost free regions, cut the vines back to 6 ft (2 m) or so before new growth begins in spring.
Propagation: Chayote fruits sometimes begin germinating while still hanging on the vine. Grow your own chayote by planting the entire fruit. Simply bury the fruit, broad end downward and stem end nearly exposed, in spring, or give it a head start by planting the fruit in a pot several weeks before setting out after all danger of frost has past. Fruits purchased at the local grocery store should germinate readily.

Judy