It is now mid March and I started one in a pot indoors about a month ago. I left part of one end sticking up out of the soil . When I dumped it out, it had a nice clump of roots on it and a 4 inch sprout coming up from he same end. I think I must have planted it upside down, does it matter? I am now ready to put it in the ground.
I wonder if pinching them back before they get out of control would cause them to send out lateral branches??
This message was edited Mar 21, 2009 4:31 PM
Looking for Merliton also known as chayote squash seeds
Bump!!
How did it go with the mirliton? Mine got a bad spot on it before I could get around to planting it. I want to try again this year.
Read the post just above yours - mine has started to sprout in the pot indoors. Last year they didn't make it.
It took me a moment to figure out that you had edited an old post. I was very confused for a bit. LOL
Mine grew, but never flowered or produced anything. You've inspired mt to try again, earpier this time, and I'll get in into the sun.....
Thanks for the reminder :)
I put on on the ground...not thinking I would leave it there. The next time I saw it ... it had grown 40' up a tree and high above our heads were an arsenal of chiyote /pepinos. Another has grown, so we have HUGE pepinos I need a ladder to harvest!!!! The ends of the vines are delicious blanched in salads...and we use the flesh for a few things...but I would love more recipes. Anyone have a good source.?
Carol
I had no idea you could eat the vines.
As I said earlier, I started mine in a pot in mid March. I have a trellis that I decided to run the vine back and fourth across it so the vine would be easier to control and not all over the gound. It must be about 15 feet long now, hard to tell with the back and fourth pattern. here is todays pic. I love the big healthy leaves, I just hope some cut worm doesn't chop it off at the ground. I did put foil around the base tho so maybe it will be ok. If I take off the tip, will it branch out?? I have no flowers yet.
This message was edited Jun 13, 2009 9:30 PM
Not to be a party pooper, but it's correctly spelled mirliton, and correct pronunciation is: [MIR-li-ton; Fr. MEER-lee-tawn]
(You can go to dictionary.com and hear how it's correctly pronounced.)
The last time I fixed this, I scraped off the skin because before that when I had prepared it, my hands stung a bit from the skin. (Not anywhere near as bad as with chili peppers, though!)
Wish I had room to grow a few. They are very good pickled with cukes and peppers.
I have only eaten them stuffed with sausage or shrimp and then baked or nuked. Got these recipes from an Italian friend from new Orleans, great cook.
We have more and more of these chayotes growing now (they drop and when ready will sprout quickly). I use them in salads and sandwiches (shredded), shirfries, raw just like an apple with some chile/lime salt. It is filling, almost NO calories, good for you (I have to look up nutritional values but how bad can they be?)...and they grow on their own!!!!
I planted one indoors this spring and enjoy checking it's progress every morning. Good thing I have vaulted ceilings. I've named it Audrey II. First one to get the reference wins three points. No cheating. :-)
I'm not sure if I will get fruits or not, but it is fun to grow.
On our walk around yesterday we saw one that had fallen down and had been sitting for quite some time. This morning it had put out a shoot, 2' (FEET) long. It may be the Plant that ate Cleveland!
Wasn't Audrie the plant in "Little Shop of Horrors"?
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! The three points go to CajuninKy. Fun show. Two movie versions and a Broadway production as well. "Feed Me!" ^_^
Funny thing is I never saw the movie. Only know it from it's cult status. LOL
Ok, I gots to know! When will this monster start to flower? It must be 40 ft long. I have kept weaving it back and fourth on the trellis and now it is over my head and branching.Will the flowers come on just the tips or all along the vine? I've been told they can produce about 100 squash.
This message was edited Jul 11, 2009 8:07 AM
I tried to go back to add the picture I just took, but could not, so here it is today, over my head. I will need hubby to start weaving it for me by tomorrow. It grows almost a foot a day.
I was wondering the same thing just the other day and did some research. It seems it blooms in August or September. Probably has something to do with temperature changes. I started one inside and it is fun to watch it travel, but without bees I will have to hand-pollinate.
Now it's Sept, and this thing has completely covered my trellis and attacking my crepe myrtle, still not a bloom in sight.
I have been told not to pull it up after frost, that it will come back up next spring - Is this true??
I find the flowers hard to see...and then suddenly there is a fruit. Just keep trying!!!! Grow it on!