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Post by nicollas on Feb 20, 2014 3:27:44 GMT -5
As i understand chokos are day sensitive but not strongly. It would be cool to have a day length neutral cultivar.
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Post by flowerweaver on Feb 22, 2014 11:34:08 GMT -5
The green smooth-skinned ones are selling for a dollar a piece at my grocery store, but I have no idea if they were picked ripe. I would hope so close to Mexico I would not be buying something that's been sitting in cold storage for a long time. For what it's worth, there's a guy on Local Harvest selling them 'ripe' for $16 each (shipping included), which seems expensive.
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Post by steev on Feb 23, 2014 23:41:14 GMT -5
Sure does! Assuming he could sell the production of one vigorous vine, he'd be looking at >$1600! You can't get that kind of money from an old-growth vine of Zinfandel!
Look for large fruit, preferably with a split starting in the fat end; let them sit around on a windowsill, out of direct sun, while you wait for a shoot; when one appears, plant the whole fruit 2/3rds buried, flat-side down where it's unlikely to be cold-killed (may need a heavy mulch in Winter).
If you've got no success by ~June, let me know; we can work something out, postage being the only potential expense.
$16 a pop! That's just laughable! These damned things are like perennial zucchini, only harder to use and not as tasty.
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Post by flowerweaver on Feb 24, 2014 8:32:40 GMT -5
Thanks steev yeah, I was wondering if he was even buying them for a dollar and turning them around for profit. Not that there's a huge demand for 'seed', but as you say the profit potential is there. The ones at the store are hard as rocks, and are 'individually wrapped' in some kind of foam pocket. I can't imagine someone's worried about them bruising! The ends have the indentation, but none of them look ready to split. I will buy one when I'm in town tomorrow, put it in a windowsill, and see how it goes. If you see white ones let me know.
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Post by steev on Feb 25, 2014 0:05:18 GMT -5
I can only hope to be so lucky as to see the white ones; I'd like to get back to Guatemala, where they are not uncommon.
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Post by flowerweaver on Feb 28, 2014 13:25:40 GMT -5
This week at the store the chayotes were wrapped in thin cellophane pouches and were noticeably more bruised that last week's wrapped in foam. I'm taking this as a sign they may be ripe, as they are labeled to be from Mexico. They were big, but somehow not as pretty as the previous ones in shape but I bought one anyway. So there it sits. kevin8715 would like to see your seedling if you every do get a photo of it.
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Post by kevin8715 on Mar 29, 2014 22:28:56 GMT -5
I was waiting for it to size up enough. Will probaly get a picture tomorrow. I have been busy lately since the compost pile went south . Shoveled most of the dirt out. (around a 100 gallons) so I can get the finished dirt at the bottom to make room for a banana tree, has to be cut down after fruiting.
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Post by flowerweaver on Mar 30, 2014 21:52:19 GMT -5
Well, the fat end of my prospective chayote is showing some sign of softening/decaying so maybe something is starting to happen inside.
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Post by steev on Mar 30, 2014 23:49:44 GMT -5
I regret to have to share my belief that softening/decaying is not a good sign; even if it is shriveling from dehydration, your chayote's fat end should be as hard as a marathoner's (Okay; maybe a marathoner doesn't have a fat end; you get my point). Still, these suckers are tough, so...?
I've never bothered, but perhaps if the fruit gets funky, you could dissect out the seed (I don't know that there's any real connection to the fruit) and just plant the seed.
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Post by zeedman on Mar 31, 2014 16:27:28 GMT -5
I'm afraid I share Steev's reservations. If the seed was viable, it should have expanded & begun protruding from the blossom end by now; any softening/shriveling should be on the stem end. If there is no sign of the seed peeking out yet, then the fruit was probably harvested too immature to be viable.
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Post by steev on Mar 31, 2014 16:54:59 GMT -5
I was at my produce market today; chayotes are $.89; some are sprouting; want one?
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Post by kevin8715 on Apr 9, 2014 19:14:21 GMT -5
Finally got the picture.
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Post by flowerweaver on Apr 10, 2014 21:48:55 GMT -5
Looks good kevin8715. OK steev and zeedman I was getting ready to toss said rotting chayote into the compost, when I noticed this today...I think this is sprouting!...what is your opinion?
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Post by raymondo on Apr 10, 2014 23:27:12 GMT -5
Looks like a growing tip at 12 o'clock at the high point of the split. I'd plant it bottom just nestled in the ground so that the stem can see sunlight.
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Post by templeton on Apr 11, 2014 3:51:23 GMT -5
sam orr, [pseudonym of Richard Beckett]a food critic and irrascible garden writer wrote in The Gourmet's Garden that a choko would rapidily grow up the trellis, smother the clothes line, over the roof of the shed, and into the neighbour's gum tree, thankfully putting the fruit well out of reach. He didn't hold it in high regard.
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