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

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions

  • Easy to grow. Plant whole mature fruit when one produces a shoot at one end.. Best planted at soil temperatures between 59°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 39 inches 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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05 Nov 21, (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Buy seeds online or buy a choko and wait until it starts sending out a shoot and then plant.
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01 Sep 21, Johnny Leech (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Will choko grow in a cold area in North Canterbury
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07 Sep 21, (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
No, they need warm weather by the look of it.
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27 Apr 21, Betty (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
We plan to move within 6 months and I want my choko to come with us. How can I keep a choko fruit so I can plant it in our new garden? I have fruit now. Or what would you advise Thanks? Thanks.
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28 Apr 21, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
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.
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22 Apr 21, Rowena Flood (Australia - temperate climate)
Does anyone have choko's growing in tasmania
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29 Apr 21, (Australia - temperate climate)
Very unlikely unless they are in a temperate or subtropical climate.
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05 Feb 21, Sue (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Would I be able to grow a choko in stanthorpe qld
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10 Feb 21, Karen (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
yes, but it will die off in Winter - just trim, leaving root in the ground, cover with straw, and it will shoot up again in spring
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05 Feb 21, SHIRL (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi there, Can I plant a sprouted choko into a pot/ground in February in Sydney? If not how can keep this to be planted later. Thanks for any advice.
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Showing 41 - 50 of 267 comments
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Our choko vine produces very well, but the majority of the chokos appear to be stung or dimpled. What is doing this, and can we stop it.

- Tamra Stafford

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