Achocha - how's yours doing?

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Achocha - how's yours doing?

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OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 13 11:26 am Post subject: Achocha - how's yours doing?

I started mine off way back in early spring and it really struggled in a batch of lousy compost. Nevertheless planted a couple of pale stunted survivors in the polytunnel in June (just to give them a last chance).
They have grown well since and climbed up to the top of the tunnel on the backs of tomatoes and climbing beans.
This week they've sprouted what look like tiny fruits (after weeks of showing just tiny male flowers). So they might just provide a modest crop.
The leaves could be mistaken for cannabis at first glance. Hopefully the drug squad won't be swooping on the tunnel any time soon (mistakenly of course).

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 13 11:42 am Post subject:
I had grown it in the greenhouse a few years back but it completely took over like some massive sprawling tentacled monster. I ended up having to pull it out. We did get a few fruit off and they were quite tasty lightly fried off. Don't let them get too big though. I keep on meaning to try it outside... and forgetting... memory is not what it used to be!

cassy

Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 1047
Location: South West Scotland

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 13 12:28 pm Post subject:
Mine have just started showing tiny fruit too; I had almost given up hope and had told them they'd be coming out! I am trying melothrie too this year and although they have had tiny fruit for ages, there is no sign of them getting big enough to eat either. I do have a bucket of comfrey fertiliser ready so I should give them both that I think. Mine are in pots on the veranda.

Piggyphile

Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 891
Location: Galicia

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 13 12:39 pm Post subject:

Mine was planted late outside and are really spreading like mad now but like you no fruit just little tiny flowers (might be the male ones you mentioned). I am keeping an eye on them for any signs of fruit but it is hard to spot as there is so much rampant growth.

Looking forward to tasting them. Next year I will start everything earlier but this year everything was late as it kept damping off after germination so I had to keep resowing all of my cucubits.

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 13 1:07 pm Post subject:
I wasn't going to grow any this year..they always do far more than I eat. BUT...where I had plant last year..there was plenty of seedlings popping up...huh..they do self seed so easily.. so I just lifted few up, transplanted another spot and they are just starting to form first 'fruits'.

cassy

Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 1047
Location: South West Scotland

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 13 4:57 pm Post subject:
I'm finding this thread very encouraging as not having grown them before, I thought they were so late starting, it was going to be a tiny harvest if at all. Nice to know I am in good company, ta!

tai haku

Joined: 17 Apr 2011
Posts: 472

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 13 6:05 pm Post subject:

cassy wrote:

I'm finding this thread very encouraging as not having grown them before, I thought they were so late starting, it was going to be a tiny harvest if at all. Nice to know I am in good company, ta!

I thought that last year - then they went crazy at the death.

chickenann

Joined: 28 Aug 2013
Posts: 59

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 13 7:48 am Post subject:
I grew this in pots outside a few years ago. It produced an ENORMOUS crop of near-inedible fruit. I don't know if it'd've tasted better if I'd fed it more, but I couldn't even get my husband to eat it. Christened "snozcumbers" in our house.

otatop

Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Posts: 1425
Location: North London

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 13 3:40 pm Post subject:
I grew this experimentally the year before last. It went completely mad and almost took over the garden. I couldn't keep up with the fruits - more appeared almost before I turned my back every time I stripped the vine. Fortunately I have friends who really liked them - although I can't say that I was thrilled.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 13 5:51 pm Post subject:
We've been harvesting them for what seems like months. I don't mind them but it seems strange preparing them: cut open, scoop out flesh and seeds, then throw that away and eat the skinny pod. Anyway, they seem to go well in stir-fries and curries, any other ideas?

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 13 6:26 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

We've been harvesting them for what seems like months.

I don't mind them but it seems strange preparing them: cut open, scoop out flesh and seeds, then throw that away and eat the skinny pod.

Anyway, they seem to go well in stir-fries and curries, any other ideas?

Is that because the middle bit tastes bad or has an odd texture?

How big do you let them grow before picking? Mine are maybe 3 ins long at the moment. They do seem to grow really slowly, unlike the plant itself.

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 13 8:13 am Post subject:

Quote:

Is that because the middle bit tastes bad or has an odd texture?

The seeds are that big that you would not want to eat them..and they are attached to the fruit wall with white membrane that is very bitter. so only bit that taste 'edible' is the thick skin.
I start picking mine when they have grown at least 1 1/2 inch long..lady's slipper achocha maybe slightly bigger being longer shape.

I've just picked first 'proper' lot from my plants and looks like now there is no stopping them...plants have slowed down their growth and there is ton's of marble size fruits coming on

Hmm....looks like it is going to be 'pizza toast' for lunch with achocha ,pepperoni and pineapple chucked on top

[/quote]

Mutton

Joined: 09 May 2009
Posts: 1508

Posted: Mon Sep 23, 13 10:43 am Post subject:
If you pick them at about 1 inch long maximum, the seeds are still soft and you can slice the whole fruit and eat it raw. The seeds just get chopped up. Mine were just "achocha" from Real Seed people. So probably not lady's slipper. Also good in stir-fries. Mice love the ripe ones and climb the vine to eat into the fruit and get mature seeds.

otatop

Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Posts: 1425
Location: North London

Posted: Mon Sep 23, 13 1:22 pm Post subject:
From memory I tried to pick them before they got to about 40 cm. I could then stir-fry them. Bigger than that they needed de-seeding - which was ok if there was a good play or something on the radio.

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