Making Spring Mirlitons Sprout

by | Jul 17, 2022 | How To, Mirliton | 0 comments

Sprouting mirliton.

We occasionally get a Spring mirliton crop and decide to gift or sell them to others to grow. You could plant them in small containers and sell them that way, but that would mean that potential growers would have to transplant them into the ground during the full heat of the summer. That would be risky. That’s why we recommend that growers sell their fruit as sprouts as soon as possible after picking them.  Sprouts can be safely planted in May-June with a simple shade technique (click here). So how do you expedite sprouting?

Mirlitons sprout (germinate) in response to warm weather. Joseph Boudreaux taught me the simple technique for incubating mirlitons in May: Place them in a warm place outside and they’ll sprout within 10-14 days. It’s best to place them away from the direct sun and inside a container such as a milk crate where varmints can’t get them (squirrels, possums, and rats). As soon as they begin to sprout, you can assure people that they are viable seeds and ready to plant.

Recent Posts

Thumbnail Test for Mirliton Ripeness

Mirlitons are typically ready to harvest when they reach approximately 8 ounces, although size and weight can vary. The most reliable method for testing for harvesting is the thumbnail test. Start by pushing on the fruit skin with your thumbnail. If the fruit skin...

How Can I Plant Spring Mirlitons?

The spring harvest of mirlitons has increased in recent years due to advancements in growing techniques. The question is: How do we plant them? There are two options: container-grown plants or planting them directly in the soil.   First, in either case, the...

Using a Bamboo Stake to Test Soil Moisture

I realize that this sounds like a strange idea, but experienced container plant experts have been using wooden skewers and chopsticks to gauge soil moisture for years. The principle is simple; moist particles of soil adhere to the wood. A clean skewer means the soil...

How to test compost and manure for herbicide residue

Many gardeners attribute plant failure to manure or compost that may have been contaminated with Grazon or other herbicides.  A professional laboratory test is too expensive for the average gardener, but there is a simple, inexpensive test you can do at home.  You can...

Managing Spider Mites and Mealybugs

          Spider mites and mealybugs tend to plague mirlitons that are planted in containers, especially when kept indoors during overwintering.  You can manage mealybugs by soaking a cotton swab with 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol and...

Secure Your Vine From Winds and Hurricanes With Netting

Strong winds and hurricanes can shred a mirliton vine and stress it enough to delay or even stop flowering.  Michelle Impastato Glore discovered an ingenious way to inexpensively and quickly protect the vine from winds: netting. It's the most effective way to...

Quick Guide for Growing Mirlitons

Mirliton is the Haitian-French word for the Louisiana chayote (Sechium edule) vine that originated in Mexico and Central America.  Haitians brought it to Louisiana in the 19th century, and it evolved over 200 years, adapting to the climate, altitude, and...

The Ideal Raised Bed: Deep and Wide

Many people's yards have poor soil or soil with inadequate drainage which makes mirliton growing difficult. Either their soil gets overly saturated or has a high clay content and does not drain well. Raised beds are the solution.  But growing mirlitons in a raised bed...

The Papa Sylvest Mirliton Variety Background

I learned of a large mirliton farm in Cut Off, Louisiana, in 2009 and traveled there to meet its owner, Vivian Danos Arceneaux. I learned it had been grown for decades and after examining the variety, I told her I wanted to give it a name to help preserve and...

Grow Your Mirliton Anywhere Using a Grow Bag

Mitchell Thomas had poor soil that does not drain well--and that’s bad news for mirlitons whose roots need to breathe. So, he developed a method of growing them in fabric “grow bags.”  He and others have gotten small crops with this technique. It enables you to grow...