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I have been given a choko....

tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
in Plants
......and would like to grow a vine.  Does anyone know the best way to store it, until I can sprout it in February/March and plant out after the last frost, please?  

It's an autumn/winter vegetable so,  abundant now, but it certainly isn't possible to get it into the ground yet.

I have had a look on different sites, but they only show you how to grow it, not store it.

Any comments would be most welcome.
A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I've not grown this but was interested (an unusual cucurbit!) so looked it up and found a site which says to keep it in a cool, dark, frost-free place until you are ready to sprout it.  It's important that you don't let it get too warm, or it will sprout early.  I'd say keeping it between 5 and 15C should be ok (temps based on keeping other tropical plants alive over the winter.)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Never grown it, but I do grow Yacon, which is a non-hardy root vegetable.  After each Autumn harvest, I save a few tubers, and plant in pots of moist compost. I store these in our garage, as it remains consistently cool.  Our shed and greenhouse can get warm from Winter sunlight, so these wouldn't be suitable.  I might have to lightly water the pots once during the Winter, but generally don't need to do this. 

    There's more comments on the recent Yacon thread. I'm sure these instructions will also work for your Choko.
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Thanks for that Bob.  To the garage it is with it!!  In a shoe box.  Hopefully, the mice don't find it first.  Maybe a tin would be better.  Hmmm.

    Again, thank you for good advice.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    We must have posted at the same time, @KeenOnGreen    I think the garage a suitable place.  Maybe wrapped in newspaper and not potted in case it rots.  I will certainly have a look at the Yakon thread. 

    Thanks for your interest.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

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