How to grow chayote
Sechium edule · Cucurbitaceae · Vegetable
When to plant chayote: the short answer
Plant chayote from a whole sprouted fruit, not loose seed: put it in the ground outdoors about 2 weeks after your last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Wait until the soil is at least 65°F; chayote sprout fastest near 80°F.
Zone 5: sow May 9 – May 28. Zone 7: sow Apr 14 – May 3. Zone 9: sow Mar 1 – Mar 20. See every zone.
Chayote is a warm-season vegetable in the Cucurbitaceae family, almost always sown straight into the ground where it will grow. It wants full sun (six or more hours of direct light) and consistent moisture — it resents drying out. From sowing to first pick is about 120–150 days. It is killed by frost, so nothing goes outside until the danger has passed and the soil has warmed.
Grower’s note: Grown by half-burying a whole sprouted chayote fruit at an angle. One vine can run 30 feet or more and yield dozens of mild, crisp squash-like fruit in fall. A short-lived perennial where it never frosts; elsewhere it needs the longest possible frost-free season.
Sowing
Chayote is not started from loose seed. UF/IFAS says to plant an entire fruit: dig a hole as deep as the fruit is wide, then lay the fruit in the hole on its side with the narrower end sloping upward. UC Master Gardeners say to leave the sprout above the soil. Plant outdoors after your last spring frost, once the soil is at least 65°F; chayote sprouts fastest near 80°F.
Spacing & layout
Give each plant about 120″ along the row with roughly 120″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is one plant per 4 square feet. Allow at least 24″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It needs more root room than most containers give and does best in the ground.
Fitting it to your season
Chayote needs roughly 120-150 frost-free days to crop, and frost kills it. Where the season is shorter than that, plant the sprouted fruit as soon as the soil has warmed and give it the sunniest, most sheltered spot you have. It is a short-lived perennial where it never frosts; elsewhere it needs the longest possible frost-free season.
Quick facts
Growth stages: how long chayote takes to grow
From planting the fruit to the first harvest takes roughly 120-150 days (17-21 weeks), with the fruit sprouting after 14-28 days in soil around 80°F. UF/IFAS says fruits develop about 35 days after a female flower is pollinated, and that yields are best once the plant is 2-3 years old.
When to plant chayote
When to plant chayote by USDA zone
Dates worked out from each zone’s typical frost dates for 2026. Find your zone on the zone map, or pick your state below for dates from its own frost dates. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Last / first frost | Start indoors | Sow or plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 / Sep 15 | - | May 24 – Jun 12 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 / Sep 25 | - | May 19 – Jun 7 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 / Oct 5 | - | May 9 – May 28 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 / Oct 15 | - | Apr 24 – May 13 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 / Oct 25 | - | Apr 14 – May 3 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 / Nov 5 | - | Mar 29 – Apr 17 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 / Nov 30 | - | Mar 1 – Mar 20 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 / Dec 15 | - | Feb 8 – Feb 27 |
What extension services say about when to plant chayote
- To sow chayote, plant an entire fruit: dig a hole as deep as the fruit is wide and lay the fruit on its side with the narrower end sloping upward. Sow in early spring anywhere in Florida; in South Florida you can also plant in the fall. Fertilize about 30 days after planting, once the vine is a few feet tall. (UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions)
- Once established, chayote comes back every year, and the best yields come after the plant is 2-3 years old. The vines climb and need support; gardeners often trellis them on an arbor. (UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions)
- Propagate by seed or by planting a whole, sprouted chayote fruit on its side, leaving the sprout above the soil. Plant from May to September, possibly in April or October depending on weather and local conditions. (UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County)
Companions
Sweet Corn
No strong antagonists recorded.
Common problems
Pests: aphids, spider mite.
Diseases & disorders: powdery mildew.
Same family (Cucurbitaceae)
Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.
Questions gardeners ask
When should I plant chayote?
Plant chayote from a whole sprouted fruit, not loose seed: put it in the ground outdoors about 2 weeks after your last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Wait until the soil is at least 65°F. The table on this page gives dates for each USDA zone, and the planting calendar gives dates for your own state or ZIP code.
How long does chayote take to grow?
About 120-150 days from planting the fruit to the first harvest, based on our crop data. UF/IFAS says fruits develop about 35 days after a female flower is pollinated, and that the best yields come once the plant is 2-3 years old.
How much sun does chayote need?
It needs at least six to eight hours of direct sun a day.
What soil pH does chayote need?
A soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. Test before adding lime or sulfur - see the soil pH and testing guide.
How far apart should I plant chayote?
Space plants about 10 feet apart in rows about 10 feet apart. Chayote vines climb and need support; UF/IFAS says gardeners often trellis them on an arbor so they can harvest in the shade.
Can I grow chayote in a container?
It is not well suited to containers - it needs more root room and space than a pot gives, so grow it in a bed.
Can you grow chayote from seed?
Chayote is planted as a whole fruit, which holds a single flat seed. UF/IFAS says to plant the entire fruit on its side in a hole as deep as the fruit is wide, with the narrower end sloping upward. UC Master Gardeners say you can propagate by seed or by planting a whole sprouted fruit on its side, leaving the sprout above the soil.
Does chayote come back every year?
Where it does not freeze, yes. UF/IFAS says that once established, chayote comes back every year, with the best yields after the plant is 2-3 years old. It is killed by frost, so in colder zones it needs the longest possible frost-free season: check the zone table above.
Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.