You've GOT TO GROW this Unusual Vegetable! - Growing Caigua From Seed To Harvest
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
- Today I'll be sharing with you this unusual vegetable that you've got to grow! Caigua, also know as achocha, slipper gourd, stuffing cucumber, lady's finger and wild cucumber (among other names) is an easy to grow vegetable originating in South America, where is has been grown for millennia! While its leaves and fresh shoots are edible, the main value in this vegetable crop is the fruits it produces which have a taste similar to cucumber and green beans when eaten raw, and if cooked tastes like capsicum or green peppers. These unusual vining vegetables are underrated in my opinion as they aren't widely known about, however provide an abundance of homegrown produce in the garden that is delicious and very versatile. They also don't tend to have many issues with pests and diseases and don't cross pollinate with other vegetables which means it's easy to save your own seed. As they are a climbing vegetable, they can be grown vertically to save space in the garden.
In my area I grow these as an annual, planting in the Spring and growing it through the Summer and early Autumn. Once established they'll start to produce the fruit, and my Caiguas became ready from late Summer and right through until late Autumn. Frost will kill this plant, but simply take some seeds out of a mature fruit and replant them the following Spring when the risk of frost has passed.
Caigua are said to have many health benefits and medicinal uses - some say that caigua helps to reduce cholesterol and improve heart health. They're also said to help with tonsillitis, diabetes and as a diuretic. The fruit and leaves are boiled in olive oil and used externally as a topical anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. Tea has been made out of the seeds to help reduce blood pressure and address gastrointestinal issues. Seeds have also been crushed and a small amount (1g) consumed in order to eliminate intestinal parasites. The roots have been used to cleanse teeth. Please note that claims of medicinal properties of plants are often noted in many online resources, however there is sometimes not the scientific studies to back up all these 'health benefits and uses'. The above information is shared for interest and not to be taken as medical advice. Always make sure you do your own thorough research to ensure diet or other additions are right for you, and consult a doctor if unsure.
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Chapters in the video:
0:00 Intro
0:29 Starting seeds
1:29 Seedling stage
1:42 Starting to climb
2:05 Foliage and flowers
2:52 Tasting the fruits
6:20 Mature fruits & seed saving
7:03 Cooking caigua
7:58 History of caigua
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The Kiwi Grower is a channel featuring all sorts of unusual and exotic fruiting plants with tips of how to successfully grow them. I'm interested in all things gardening and love growing edible plants.
I live on a 2 acre piece of land in New Zealand where we are turning a grass paddock into and abundant, edible paradise! So come along on this journey with me as I experiment with growing, and try to push the limits of what I can grow in my area. I'll share with you my successes and failures so hopefully you'll learn from them and have a go yourself! Come learn with me and Subscribe!
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Contact me on: thekiwigrower@gmail.com - Jak na to + styl
The insect that you didn’t recognize at 5:50 looks like the larval form of the ladybug.
yep, I agree! great to have in the garden
Thanks so much for the comment! Good to know - they look so different at that life stage :)
@@TheKiwiGrower Maybe that's why you weren't getting aphid problems.
Yes! I used to collect them and keep them in a terrarium to watch them form the cacoon and hatch, really cool.
I knew it!
I've got to grow this even just to wind up a nosey neighbour
Haha definitely 😂
@@TheKiwiGrower I'm new to your channel and really enjoying it , thank you so much for all your effort
Please let us know if you managed to trick them into thinking it was cannabis. I would find that absolutely hilarious.
@@hamishfox anyone seeing this would think it was lol. Even someone who knows a decent amount about plants
@@jonslg240 Anyone who knows what weed looks like could tell it's very obviously not, but nosey neighbours are already looking for something to get upset about.
My mum absolutely loves growing this vegetable. It grow quickly and fruits prolifically. She grew these in her village in Nepal and now she grows them in her home in the UK.
Also, I loves your channel. Please keep posting these videos! 😃
That's awesome! Thanks heaps :)
It's so amazing that they originated in South America but ended up all the way in Nepal!
@@maria-giulianalatini1724 Yes many people grow in India also.
Kalum is a 100% beautiful looking man. Love how he grows all this amazing vegetation; stuff that can withstand extreme cold and such. I wish I knew him in person as I would learn so much from this guy!
So nice of you!
Hope you can still learn from me here on the channel :)
If you'd like to see a video about me growing a whole lot of vegetables in a no-dig gardening method from start to finish, feel free to check out this video here :) czcams.com/video/i3HfAuQut0E/video.html
Thanks heaps for watching today's video!
I've grown these for the past 3 years and they're pretty cute, give off masses of fruit quite late in the season. I grow them in amongst my peas and beans and the vines really come to life as the beans are finishing up for the year. This year was the first year that I've tried pickling them. One of the most amazingly tasty pickled veggies I've ever had, try it! I just use a simple pickled jalapeño recipe but sub out the achocha for the peppers
“That little insect” you didn’t know about is actually a ladybird/ladybug larva!
Yes, looks like a Harlequin larva. Great bug in a fruiting garden as they help keep the pests down without the need for any chemicals. Great find and another great video.
Hey!
Im from Ecuador and we call this vegetal "Achocha". Its really delicious on chicken soup, chesse soup, etc. Its really healthy.
Oh yes I've heard that name too. So yum ay! :)
Cheers
getting these randomly in my recommended and i love these vids
Thanks just ordered some seeds. Stuffed with my wife's chillicuncurry and some mozzarella cheese sounds sweet.
Thank you - I ordered Caigua seeds and they grew and grew and produced. They died off and now returning. I'm in Santa Barbara, CA and the seeds came from UK.
those are baby ladybugs! Beneficial bugs seem to enjoy the plant! Thank you for such a thorough video. :D
Thanks Wendi, one I’m sure you’ll enjoy growing if you haven’t already :)
A friend of mine who's parents have a big permaculture garden in (Healesville, Victoria, Aus - cold temperate) had this one sprawling all up the side of their shed. I was wondering why it tasted blergh - the seeds were black.
I really appreciate the detail you go into and especially how to prepare/cook up these rare varieties. Thanks Callum
Interesting plant, I'd be keen to grow some of this if I ever get the chance, looks really unique and different from other climbing vegetables, especially the masses of flowers and leaf shape.
Really find this channel helpful. I've been trying to germinate my caigua seeds in pots but no action. I'm going to direct sow in November
Love that you go for the 'exotic' stuff more than often, I find it great to hear about these plants. I knew of these caiguas in a market in Peru, but had no idea of what to do with them. I've recently found some in another market here in Spain, but only in large size for stuffing, I assume it's the most usual way of preparing it there in Peru. Whatever, great to watch this vid, thanks and wishing winter there won't be too harsh.
Hi David, thanks for the comment and glad you also enjoy the exotic and more unusual plants! Really cool to be able to find them in markets over there too! :).
We're currently going through a 'polar blast', so I'm hoping all my plants will be ok!
@@TheKiwiGrower Hope you got enough wool from your sheep for that polar blast! Take care! There are some unusual veggies I can find here as there are some new neighbours from South America, Africa or even Asia, but not the variety I'd wish... I'm probably the only one in town buying whatever strange sticking at the grocer's, not worth it for the seller, I'm afraid.
Ok, time for bed, I see. Keep strong!
I bought them as my mother was born in Caigua, Venezuela and I was intrigued - such a wonderful plant and delicious fruit.
Gotta try these! I've never heard of them until this video. Thanks for the great info!
No worries, glad I could show you something new :)
I watched this video before spring and decided to grow 2 plants. I ate my first ones tonight and they are so delicious. Thanks for posting about this yummy vegetable.
Thanks for uploading this lovely video!
My pleasure! :)
Thanks for the inspiration to get me to plant out the seeds I've got. Even have sticks for a teepee. I was put off by the initial comparison to cucumber but the mature fruit sounds yummy.
No worries, hope you enjoy them!
I did grow that last year I love it
Great video. My wife is from Peru and we love this vegetable when we visit. Have some seeds and will try and grow in containers. Thanks for all the tips!
Sounds great! Good luck with it :)
*Never trust someone who hates pineapple on pizza, because they've likely not tried it enough to find the right combos. Mad kudos to you btw. I love this channel, and the fact that you know so much. Botanist level of knowledge regarding what you grow, and growing in general. Keep up the good work.*
That’s a really cool vegetable.. never heared or seen them before
I think I’ll grow them…great video 👍
Thanks Robin, good luck with them if you try them out :)
I’m from Colombia and we call this Pepino de guiso, we prepare this as stuffed cucumbers and it’s really good! I’m planning to grow this plant here in Miami, Florida. I miss this fruit so much!
Going to try growing these this year at the allotment 🤞🏻🤞🏻 Great video giving so much information 👍🏻thanks
Those are young ladybirds! Interesting plant, thanks :)
Thanks heaps, that makes sense. Man they look so different at that life stage!
Always a pleasant surprise to see one of your videos on my feed. Interesting plant but it looks hard to contain.
Very interesting. Thanks for showing us!
What a great video on growing caigua and a NZ one as well. I found some seeds at Kings Seeds this year, had never heard of them, but after researching them, decided to grow them. Your video is the best information I have found, from growing right through the season, to what to expect from different stages of harvest, as well as how to use them. Thank you so much. Just subscribed.
Thanks Shirley, hope they grow well for you :)
New to me, so cool, will give this a go go!!! Thanks Klm
Thank you for the insight. Peruvian living in Oz here. I've got 2 caigua plants growing in my backyard as I miss eating them so much! I have to say though, that your full-grown caiguas seem pretty small compared to the ones you can buy in Lima. Interesting. Same happens with rocotos, mine don't grow big like in South America. Must be something to do with the plants not being acclimatised to the soil, at a guess.
This is a brilliant video. Informative, practical and user friendly. Interesting and the right amount of information plus demonstrations of how to do each step. I liked the time lapse showing growth over time too. Thank you I will be subscribing.
thanks again great information will try growing them here in dunedin
No worries! Good luck with it :)
This is a great vegetable to cook. Traditional peruvian dish call Caigua Rellena! Stuffed Caigua, thanks for the video, you inspired me to grow in my farm in US!
I have never heard of this vegetable. I will have to look for some seeds!
Thank you for sharing it! I am not familiar with this vegetable, so thank you!
You’re welcome! 😊
They are growing in my garden, here in Austria. I like to eat them when they are small.
Nice one, yeah they're so good just fresh off the plant when they're small :)
Great garden.
Love your seed to harvest videos! Very useful and informative. I would want to know what to expect, mature plants and fruits and how to use them. Very interesting! Thanks! - Zee, N. Cali zone10a
Thanks so much for the feedback, glad you found it useful! :)
I just bought seeds for these a week ago under the name acocha. Neat!
Thank you great information 👍
Hi Callum I luv your videos! Recently I found a strange vegetable at Sprouts Grocery store here in Florida. Because I was planning a vegetable curry for that night and knew it would be good irregardless, I immediately grabbed it for dinner. Without having any idea of what it was, I saw it was called Romanesco. It looks like a bright green, almost florescent geometrical swirl of Fibonacci spirals or patterns of fractals. Do you grow these tasty plants? Please do a video on this tasty veggie if you haven't already!!
Very easy to follow channel. Great kiwi channel
Thanks Julie! :)
Good tip.
I really love your videos 😁
Wow it look delicious
U got good gardening skills man
And pineapple pizza is good 👏🏼
An interesting vine there. Seems very resilient in the garden and tasty on that pizza. :) Do seedlings have any problems with snails and slugs? I am having such an invasion of these pests since we have these too mild winters and my garden is full of fruit trees and shrubs. My basil would be done in one night if I did not use a bait. But since some new regulation have been introduced, it is quite impossible to find any effective means on the market to confront the pests. I am still on my old bait supplies. I presume you have a huge experience in NZ climate with the issue. Love your work and energy. In my childhood I shared you interest in budgies breeding too. :) Greetings from Serbia. 👍
Very, VERY invasive and basically impossible to kill off once they start spreading, I highly recommend trying to grow some Passiflora Incarnata (Maypop). They are the native passionfruit found in North American, and the flowers are fantastic! Tons of medicinal uses for flowers and leaves, and the fruit pulp taste like a sweet tart! The flowers are magnificent and absolutely fragrant as can be. They will grow in the ground or in pots, and will come back every year even if it snows. They are very resilient, but I personally only like them for the flowers as the fruits are not as productive as the typical passion fruit.
don't know how this channel was recommended to me, but i do find your content interesting. One thing though is that it really seems like a lot of the veggies he grows takes ages...side note, he is very easy on the eyes lol
The little insect is a Harlequin ladybird, very good to have them on your plants.
Nice vid
I have a few of these in one pot. They grow like crazy 😂
Great bro😊
Thanks! :)
Nice 👍🏼😁
Oké looks cool maybe for next year if i can find seeds😁
Wow 😍😍😍😍😍👍👍
I'm a subscriber great video 📹 👍
💡 Genius
I believe that mystery bug is either a species of firefly, which hasn't reached maturity, or lady bug,which hasn't matured, I've encountered a similar species at my house
Insect at 6:00 minutes looks like a lady bug/lady bird larvae. Coccinellidae or similar.
Excellent and interesting video. Thank you. I wish you were my neighbour!
Thanks Jef! Haha I'd be sure to share the produce if you were :)
The insect you didn't recognise is a ladybird larvae! Always a good sign when uou see them on your plants, and look nothing like the adults!
2:15
LOL Yeah, my exact thought. I was like...wait...these looks like the you know....
Very interesting plant, I have never heard about them in my country haha
haha neither had I until last year! :)
The crawling bug looks like a ladybird larva. 😊
It is called sweet karela in my region. I grow it every 3 years.
You can make achaar which is like Nepalese sauce with them, when you roast there seeds. I love them
hello thanks for your videos i was wondering if you get the sheild bugs in your area , I am guessing your in north island . im top of south and have a problem with these little buggers.come mid to late summer my garden gets inundated with them, wondering if you do get these, if you have any successful ways of dealing with them?
the little orange and black bug is a ladybyg larvae
The little bug you saw was a lady bug larvae!
Boy, that is a weird looking seed. That one looked like a Snapping Turtle. Turtle 🐢 🐢
Great video! I wonder if the seeds are easily available from the shop, does it come in a different name?
Some of the names would be achocha, stuffing cucumber, slipper gourd, but there's heaps more too. Probably not commonly in the shops, but depends what country you're from. In NZ they're easy to find online :)
*THAT IS A SEED?* It looks more like a better arrowhead... (Stops breaking rocks for chips, and starts knapping...) Joking btw :)
Thanks so much for your useful videos. I' d like to know how to grow pistachios trees. I love them.
Our climate isn't very suitable unfortunately but if I do have a go with them one day I'll definitely share
Yeahhh, you're right. Thanks for your answer. I'll do it definitely cos our climate is suitable for them and in fact they're starting to be grown and popular in Spain.
I miss eating my caigua it taste good when you stuffed like a bell peppers
5:48 larva of a ladybug, great for controlling aphids
Do you have any suggestions on where i can order some seeds! I’d love to grow this! Except I live nearly on the other side of the planet in Southern California.
These plants need a boost of nitrogen in the early stages of there growth, I use Potassium Nitrate or there is a pumpkin Booster in some garden centers that's basically Potassium Nitrate, of course the best option would be some organic form of N if you have it, use a fair bit to get them started then they do fine, these really are the best for sandwiches sliced finely a challenger for the Cucumber, I have found a lot of people like the green bean/cumber taste it's not to far from known tastes. I find them best to eat when seeds and a cavity have formed and the size is large but are still young then sliced finely. the bug is a LadyBug in a different stage.
Thanks for the info Ryan, good to know
💕💕💕
The mystery bug might be a baby lady bug. The markings are a little different, so. 🤷♀️ Not sure, but that's my guess.
5:49 that's a ladybug larva
Where did you get the seeds from? And do you know if they offer shipping to the US?
What part of NZ are you located?
Its a common vegetable here in Nepal. We call them barela/barelaa and is used in curries.
So cool that they're more commonly grown over there. Interesting how many different names they have! Cheers :)
I got my Caigua from a Nepalese! Will plant it every year, with its seeds! Greetings from Austria🇦🇹
The leaves are very similar to a little naughty plant 💨😂 that's crazy!!
I'd be too scared to grow this plant as you'd have neighbours calling police 😂
😂😂 worth the risk I reckon!
If that 'naughty little plant' was a climber. It'd sell like hot cakes coz you could fit more in.
I wonder if these can be pickled?
Have you ever tried “maxixe”? It’s a very popular vegetable here in South America
Is it really possible to grow mango trees over there in New Zealand,and especially during the cold months ,are there any tropical regions to grow them,I might settle down there, Just wanna know, BTW great video 👍🏼, Love from India ❤️.
Maybe in northland nz you could
You would have to be in the far North for this to be at all possible, and even then it would have it's challenges, though I believe a few have managed to grow them. They definitely wouldn't grow to full potential here though, so I wouldn't count on it.
Thanks for the feedback - love from NZ! :)
Thanks for letting me know !
What is the bush behind you at 8.00 can you make cuttings show us how to root and plant them?
I think you're meaning the loquat tree? If so, I have a whole video series about these :)
I think that nymph (or instar) of that insect you’ve questioned about is a ladybug
Oh shoot, I just purchased some of these the other day and planted them in the greenhouse. I agree that the seeds look weird lol
Sweet man, hope they go well!
That little insect was a lady-beetle larva (or related to it).
That was a lady bug! 😃
your little bug frind looks like a ladybird nymph! good for eating aphids!
In Peru, Caigua is grown way bigger, and it is stuffed with ground meat.
where can I get some of them seed
That mysterious black and orange bug is the larval form of a ladybug
Dang, Where'd you get the seeds from?