Chayote

Chayote (Sechium edule Swartz) is popularly known as mirliton and vegetable pear in South Louisiana where it is grown and relished. In the mild-winter regions along the Gulf Coast and in parts of California, chayote is grown for its light-green, pear-shaped fruits that are served with salad dressing or stuffed after boiling with ground meat or seafood.

The fruit is considered an excellent substitute for summer squash, but is of little nutritional value. Historically chayote dates back to the Aztecs before the Spanish conquest.

Chayote is related to all the cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, melons and gourds so popular with gardeners, but differs from them in having only one large seed. In Central America the plant is grown as a perennial and the large tuberous roots that develop over a 2- to 3-year period are eaten after roasting, boiling or frying and they are sometimes candied in sugar. The roots contain about 70 percent water and 20 percent starch. The young shoots are also sometimes cooked as a green vegetable.

In the southern United States, chayote is mostly grown as an annual since freezing kills the entire plant. Heavy mulching may protect the roots from freezing and the plant will re-sprout in spring. In Northern States the short growing season will more than likely prevent fruiting since the plant is day-length sensitive and flowers only in late summer and early fall.

Seed of chayote is difficult to locate since the whole fruit is used as a seed. It is not marketed through retail seed catalogs, and is often available only in localities where the plant is grown.

Chayote hanging on vine has pear shape and deeply furrowed surface.

When all danger of frost and cold weather has passed in spring and the soil is warm, plant the whole fruit on a slant with the broad end down and the stem end slightly exposed. If the seed has sprouted before planting, which is often the case, cut the sprout back to a length of about 2 inches.

The vine grows rapidly when planted in a rich, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Since the vine is large and vigorous, plant the seeds no closer than 10 feet apart and provide a trellis or some means of support. One plant may be sufficient for any garden since each vine produces 30 to 35 fruits. The plant should be supplied with generous amounts of water, and fertilizer rich in potash but low in nitrogen. An oversupply of nitrogen will result in excessive growth at the expense of fruit production.

Chayote is monoecious (male and female flower parts in separate flowers but on the same plant) and is dependent on flower-visiting insects for Pollination. Bees swarm to the flowers for nectar. The fruits require about 30 days from pollination to mature sufficiently to harvest, and may weigh up to 2 pounds.

The type most commonly grown in the southern United States produces light-green, pear-shaped fruit.

Insect and disease problems of chayote are the same as for pumpkins, squash and other relatives. Among the insect pests are striped and spotted cucumber beetles, squash bug, squash vine borer and pickle worm. Disease problems include powdery and downy mildews.

To save seed, allow the fruits to reach full maturity on the vine but harvest them before they sprout. Wrap each fruit separately and store it in a cool ventilated place.

Dasheen

Dasheen (Colocasia esculenta Schott), also known as oriental taro, is a large perennial plant cultivated for its underground corms and tubers. In the United States its cultivation is limited to warm coastal regions. Closely related to ornamental elephant's ear, caladium, calla and the native jack-in-the-pulpit, dasheen differs from them in producing edible corms and tubers that contain practically no calcium oxylate, a harmful chemical. Dasheen varieties also differ from most taros in this respect.

Taro was first introduced into the southern United States with shipments of African slaves who used it for food. The origin of taro has been traced to India and following its dispersal it has served as a staple food crop of Pacific Island dwellers for thousands of years. In the early 1900's a superior type of oriental taro traced to China and known as dasheen was introduced into the United States. This type largely replaced the earlier introduced, acrid, coarse African types.

At one time dasheen was considered as a possible substitute crop on lands too wet to grow Irish potatoes. Nutritional properties of the tubers are similar to potatoes. The tubers can be prepared in any way that potatoes can and the flavor is described as delicate and nutty.

Dasheen requires a frost-free growing period of about seven months. It is therefore limited to the lowland Coastal Plains from South Carolina to Texas. In Hawaii, dasheen is a very common garden plant, used to make the popular poi.

Production of tubers is greatest in rich, loamy, well-drained soils with an abundance of moisture. Clay soils produce low quality dasheen, as do long droughts followed by regrowth and prolonged wet periods.

Plant whole tubers weighing 2 to 5 ounces, 2 to 3 inches deep, at 2-foot intervals in rows about 4 feet apart. Begin planting about April 1 or earlier, up to 2 weeks before the average date of the last killing frost in spring. It is also possible to start plants indoors and set them in the garden when frost danger is past.

With adequate moisture and fertilizer the plants will reach 4 to 5 feet in height. Apply a preplant application of fertilizer and an equal amount before the plants reach 2 feet in height.

Dasheen is shallow rooted so a heavy mulch will help prevent loss of soil moisture in dry periods.

The corms and cormels (tubers) are mature enough to harvest when the tops have completely died down in fall (October-November). Dig the plants in dry weather if at all possible to avoid injury to the corms. The crop may be stored in the ground and dug as needed where the soil is well drained.

Each plant when dug should have at least one large central corm surrounded by smaller tubers with a combined weight of 2 1/2 to 8 pounds.

The tubers are reported to be of better eating quality and will store longer than the large corm. Tubers will keep for several months at 50 F when they are provided with good air circulation.

Young unrolling leaves can be eaten as a table green. They are a rich source of vitamins A and C and when properly prepared are free of the harmful calcium oxylate. Leaves should be boiled with a large pinch of baking soda for 15 minutes and then boiled in fresh water till tender. The stored corms and tubers can be forced to sprout in the dark and the blanched shoots prepared and eaten.

A major disease of dasheen is root-knot nematodes. Plant only tubers free of evidence of nematodes. Storage rots occur if the tubers are dug before they are fully mature or if proper temperature and adequate ventilation are not provided in storage.

Magnifico globe artichoke with large terminal buds.