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Choko variety at Botanical Gardens in New Orleans |
Mirlitons.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation and innovative uses of Louisiana heirloom mirlitons. “Mirliton” is the Louisiana name for the iconic perennial climbing squash (botanical name: Sechium edule) better known as “chayote” in the Western Hemisphere.(...and 'Choko' in Australia--DR)
Katrina left the New Orleans area with thousands of empty lots. Growing mirlitons on overhead trellises is an excellent form of urban commercial micro-gardening and the shade canopy would inhibit weed growth—a big problem with abandoned lots. In addition, there are a myriad of uses for mirlitons that have not been explored commercially, including food preserving and the use of vines for textiles.
Start your harvest early by steaming the tender shoots and young leaves. Then pick the small, egg sized chokos; these are simply delicious with more flavour than zuchinnis. (As for the old large ones)...in Mexico they simply split them open to remove the nutritious and tasty seeds and feed the rest to the cows."
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I've been using palm fronds for shade over my trellis and while I waited fro the climbers to grow I had some old shade cloth and threw that over in a couple of places. While there are shade cloth grades -- I much prefer the mottled shade I get with the fronds than the half light under the cloth. It's cooler under the fronds too.I'm thinking that by mixing perennials (choko and grapes) with annuals like beans and the like I get an aerial forest I can trim to shape <i>over Summer</i> and cut back in Winter. Choko is so easy to maintain as there are no woody stems and the tendrils can easily be pulled, sipped and tucked about.Then the is the wondrous joy of watching tendril creep....with the upwards surge quickening as the weather becomes warmer. I'm now trellis delighted and suspect , at least it's my hypothesis, that Chokoes are a superb marriage to trellising over the underneath activity -- esp of salad vegetables that are so keen to bolt over Summer. If I can get cut and come again greens to 'come again' through more of the Summer each year, then I'm in culinary heaven.
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Added by Doug Hanning
Added by Doug Hanning
Added by Doug Hanning
Vetiver grass helps to stabilise soil and protects it against erosion. It can protect against pests and weeds. Vetiver is also used as animal feed. (Wiki.)
GrowVetiver is a plant nursery run by Dave & Keir Riley that harvests and grows Vetiver grass for local community applications and use. It is based in Beachmere, just north of Brisbane, Australia.
Talk to Andy on 0422 022 961. You can Pay on this link
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