I will be glad to buy some, or trade if anyone here has them or knows where I can find them. I have looked at several seed companies to no avail.
Not sure of the spelling, but these things look similar to an avacado but are light green. They grow on a vine like regular squash.
Mirlitons are expensive to buy in the store if you can find them, about $1.39 each. They are so delicious stuffed with sausage or shrimp, etc.
I also posted this on the seed trading and GA Gardening forums. I really would like to try them, of course the squirrels may get them
This message was edited Jul 11, 2009 8:17 AM
Looking for Merliton also known as chayote squash seeds
I've never grown one so I went looking for info. Seems you can't grow from seed; you need to plant the whole 'squash' - which is really a gourd. Now you've got me interested and I think I may plant one! Here ya go: http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/encyclopaedia!openframeset&frame=Right&Src=/edible.nsf/Pages/chayote!opendocument
I bought one to plant, and promptly forgot about it. When I found it again, it had grown roots and shoots, still in it's little plastic bag. I finally planted it in a pot, and it has leaves, and is growing (with help) up my porch railing.....Don't know what else will come of it :)
Catmad, you might want to let it roam across the ground. According to that link - which ID's it as a gourd - it can make vines 30' long!
Things on the ground don't do very well, here. Fortunately, it's a big porch, and I can wrap it around the railing if need be. Sounds as if it will be fun, but you have me realizing that maybe I'd best learn a bit more about it...
Thanks for the heads up!!
TF do you know where to get organic Chayote in the greater Phoenix area? I think I am going to have to try and grow this.
You might want to try Sprouts. Trader Joe's or AJ'S for organic.
Alma my husband gets so frustrated because he cannot get one of these to grow for him. I think we will have to try again.
I'm guessing they need plenty of water. A frind on the island of Barbados grew them on trellises that he made with telephone poles! His plants were head height(The telephone pole were for strength, and were about seven feet tall) This was twenty years ago, and he was getting a dollar each for them then.
I'm growing one now- got one from the grocery, choosing the smoothest fruit(Easier to peel) and the yellowest for ripeness, tho' you'd still call it green. Left it sitting out on the countertop until I saw a little bit of growth, green leaflets and roots. I put it in the bowl in the photo, with the root side down(duh) and just a little bit of water.
Guess it' about time I planted the buggar, hey?
Another name is Christophene, which I use because I don't know how to pronounce Chayote, haha
Check a Mexican grocery for them. If you don't find them shoot me a dmail around June 10 and I will bring one up to the States and mail it to you.
katiebear
My next door neighbor gave me one of those! I planted it in the garden. It's not doing anything yet.. but I am sure it will soon. Too cool!!
I can find them here in many stores, thanks for the offer to "import" me one. I just thought it might be possible to get mature seeds to plant. I only have a trellis I can grow it on, I just hope it's not too late here in GA to get them started. I really was asking for a friend that says his dad used to toss out a bunch of seeds in his garden and would grow them in South Georgia. Then I decided I wanted to try them too. Guess I will go shopping!
Thanks all.
PJ
I know a woman who plants them by her barn. Her trellis is about 20 feet high on a slant and is made of 4" x 5" fence wire. They grow like crazy and really spiff the place up.
The one big, flat seed inside is very tender and doesn't have a shell. I doubt it could live outside the fruit. Or maybe if you have a pot of very damp peatmoss to put it in immediately, and it was already growing...
I just slice the whole thing, seed and all, when I'm preparing one for either soup or salad.
Thank you all so much - Yes I thought that the big soft seed maybe was just not mature. I definately will try one.
And do not forget that merliton (which I grew up on in New Orleans, stuffed w/shrimp and ham) need a female AND a male vine growing near each other to reproduce fruit. Do a search for merliton or chayote (cha YO tay) and put my name in the post. Not that I am an expert -- quite the contrary -- I was lurking on the thread and asking questions. The search should pull up the discussion as well as the stuffed merliton (pronounced MILLIE ton) recipe I posted. Might be in the recipe forum.
Oh dear - how do I know which is which?? I tought I would just plant one vine and have plenty for me & DH.
Gymgirl wrote;"And do not forget that merliton (which I grew up on in New Orleans, stuffed w/shrimp and ham) need a female AND a male vine growing near each other to reproduce fruit."
Well, doesn't that just bite the big one. Sigh. No, I didn't know that. Figured it was like other squash and gourds, and had both m/f blooms on one plant. So much for my plan. Sigh.....
From the link I posted near the top: "The vine produces small, greenish white, male and female blossoms." That's male AND female on the same vine.
Luckily, both male and female blossoms do grow on the same plant. Otherwise, how would anyone ever know "which is which" as Azalea says. Remember, you're starting with a whole squash and they're not labeled 'male' and 'female'.
Let's not throw in the towel! Go get that squash and plant it! What will we be out, 33 cents to a dollar? I'm planting ONE this weekend.
LOl- Ya got me convinced. Thanks so much.
OK, so I've become fascinated by this plant! The only other plant I ever grew that rivals chayote for length of vine is the birdhouse gourd. Interesting that this is considered a gourd variety. For those of you with overwhelming curiosity, here's a bit from floridadata: http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/sech_edu.cfm
Another interesting piece about this plant. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1980-11-01/Grow-Chayote.aspx?page=3
This is all great info! I still have not been to the store for one, but must real soon, we get frost in Nov. so there is still barely time.
Thanks, Tomatofreak! Maybe next time I see them I'l pick up a couple to try in the ground.....
I stand corrected, ya'll. Tomatofreak, THANK YOU so much for the loving correction. For some reason back home, people always did plant more than one vine, and there was always talk of needing a male and a female vine. Oh, well...I definitely don't want anyone throwing in the towel, cause they're definitely worth it.
But, I am DEFINITELY standing by my merliton recipe. That's my final answer!
P.S. What does LOI mean? I'm venturing a guess, but I'd rather ya'll tell me for sure...
LOL - Laughing Out Loud
Gymgirl, where is that recipe? I've cooked chayote a few times but I'd like something a little zippier than than what I've made.
And btw, one of those articles makes the point that pollination is better with two plants, but not necessary. I'll try one; these seem to be pretty big and I don't think I have room for two.
Me either, I also have a Moon vine starting on my trellis, it may get too crowded.
I have not been able to find a mirliton here. They are great pickled with peppers and onions.
Well, finally today I went to Krogers and got 2 of them, $1.39 a pound. I was going to stuff one for supper and plant the other one. They were hard as rocks, maybe not really mature, but one I cut into was very damaged and black on one side, it did not show on the outside. I would not eat that one. Anyway, I popped the seeds out carefully, thought I would pot them up tomorrow and see if anything happens. If I had not planned to eat one, I would have left one whole, but it didn't work out that way. I am tempted to take that blackend one back to the store and trade it in, but they were all very small.
I did manage to stuff one, had to nuke it first, it was so hard. Then I scraped out the center chopped it up and stuffed it with shrimp, bread crumbs, onions cheese and seasoning. I baked it in the oven with a meatloaf, It was very good, but the shell was like trying to eat plastic, never had one like that. It made me more determined than ever to grow my own. Wish me luck.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=2972204
STUFFED MERLITON:.
Boil MERLITON in salted water, till you can stick a fork in them
Drain and cool. Cut merlitons in half lengthwise, remove the soft seed and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Reserve the shells.
Sautee a "trinity" (onion, bell pepper, celery) in a little oil till onions are just translucent
Add the merliton pulp to the sauteed trinity and stir till it starts to loosen its liquid and begins to turn a little brown. Not too dark. Use your spoon to sort of slice the pulp as you sautee it.
Add some lightly browned, cubed seasoning ham (1" cubes)
Add some lightly browned, sauteed ground chuck (less fat)
Add some Sunbeam's bread CUBES (stuffing mix?) Not any flaky stuff. Cubes -- even if not Sunbeam, and nothing with a lot of SAGE in it. Yuck!
Sprinkle your regular seasonings like garlic powder, Season All (careful -- not too salty), black pepper and CAYENNE pepper, etc. Add a dash of Louisiana Red hot sauce to be safe. Be creative with your tastebuds. Mix all the remaining ingredients.
Finally -- add the Peeled, de-veined, CHOPPED RAW SHRIMP!
The shrimp will release extra liquid, so your mixture might seem a bit loose. Prudent use of Italian Style Bread Crumbs will bring you back to reality. Sprinkle to tighten the mixture a bit, but not TOO tight!
Now. Get those merliton shells and stuff to your heart's content. Top them with a sprinkling of Bread Crumbs drizzled with some melted BUTTER. Bake at 350? or so, till mixture sets and gets hot through. Run them under the broiler for a quick minute to brown the tops.
I am not responsible if you hurt yourself eating this.....
(Keep in mind, the whole process is like stuffing a bell pepper...)
I finally found a Chayote today at Sprouts Marketplace. Does anyone know if it is considered to be a summer or a winter squash? I am thinking summer because it has a soft skin but don't know for sure.
Gymgirl,
You have made me hungry with that recipe - we gotta do another party - this sounds as good as your greens.
Something is happening! One of the 2 seeds I took out of the squash is doing great! I potted them up and now one has a lovely strong sprout after only 10 days. I am going to put it in the ground as soon as I have time, this week is crazy!!
Now If I can just remember to water it, with this 90+ degree weather and no rain in sight, if I get anything from it, it will be a miracle. I just hope the squirrels & birds don't attack the baby squash when they come. I found out that it was not really the squirrels doing so much damage here as the possums, we caught 3 in a week and hauled them off to new hunting grounds! Two big ones and a baby - hope they didn't have a big family.
I finally found one at Walmart. What do I do now. Should I plant the whole thing or just the seed? I have eaten lots of them but never grown any.
Well, I am sure no expert - but earlier in this thread seveal people said to plant the whole thing. I intended to, but changed my mind and carefully cut out the seed with some of the meat attached and potted up that seed. It has started to sprout just fine so after about a week with a nice sprout, I have planted it. I hope it wiolo be a fast gower if it taked 6 months to mature. We might get a frost before then here in GA.
Good luck.
How is the seed shaped and which direction did you plant it?
The seed is one flat seed about an inch across - it has a very soft white covering, so I was careful when I dug it out. I don't hink it really matters which side is up. If you plant the whole squash, then plant the flat side down, pointy end up.
Mine is already about 4 inches tall in the ground.
Thanks. I'm going to try and plant mine tomorrow.
Who ever needs one let me know as you can buy them all the time here in Texas at any local HEB grocery store. Just stick them in the ground and stand back. I have never had a vegetable that sprouted and took off like a Merliton. What worried me was that nothing in this bug infested, mildew and mold center of the universe here in Southeast Texas touched it. These things grew like some plague from outer space. They had grown up and over my fence; then onto my neighbor's garage, and then up his huge Magnolia tree. I had to laugh every time I looked into my backyard and looked at all these Merlitons hanging all over and up this guy's Magnolia tree like so many green mountain oysters. Just plant them where you want them.
Really, they are extremely common here in the metropolitan Houston area and if your local regular grocery store doesn't have any, just try out your local "Fruiteria", aka, you local Hispanic grocery stores. They all have them here. You should not have to waste your money buying from actual nursery, etc.