Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Papaya is a perennial plant that grows in tropical and subtropical climates where there is no frost or low temperatures. It grows 9 meters tall and boasts yellow-orange or cream-colored flowers. The fruits of the plant can take many forms, including pear-shaped or round, and are known for their sweet flesh, which can range in color from yellow to orange. By studying how papayas grow, you get the best chance of a quality fruit harvest.

Steps

1. 1 Fill each pot 2/3 full with soil. Insert 4 seeds into the soil in each pot, 1.2 cm deep and 5 cm apart.
2. 2 Water the soil thoroughly, but do not overfill until the water stagnates. Control moisture for the next 2 weeks by keeping the soil moist.
3. 3 Determine which seedlings in each pot are healthy as soon as the plant is germinated, approximately 3 weeks after planting. Cut and remove other plants, leaving only one plant per pot.
4. 4 Apply mineral fertilizer according to package instructions at the time of thinning, and every 2 weeks thereafter, until the plants are about 30 cm. in height.
5. 5 Dig a hole 3 times deeper and wider than the planting pot, in an area where the plant is permanently located. Plant papaya seedlings in a sunny, well-drained area, about 3 meters from buildings or other plants. Make as many well-spaced holes as you have papaya seedlings.
6. 6 Mix an equal amount of compost with the excavated soil. Change some of the soil in the hole until the depth is equal to the depth of the soil in the pots. Remove the papaya seedlings from the containers, one at a time, and plant each in its own hole at the same depth as it was in the container.
7. 7 Cover the holes with soil. The soil must fall between the roots. Water the newly planted papaya seedlings until the soil surrounding the root ball is completely moist.
8. 8 Water papaya seedlings and rooted plants regularly. If the soil holds water, water the plant every 4 days, and if the soil dries quickly, water more often, every 2 days, during the hottest season. Take a few days off between waterings during the cooler season.
9. 9 Fertilize the plant every two weeks with 113 gr. fertilizer, according to the instructions provided by the fertilizer manufacturer, starting 2 weeks after transplanting. Gradually increase the amount of fertilizer and the interval between applications until the papaya has received no more than 0.9 g. every 2 months when she is about 7 months old.
10. 10 Apply bark mulch around the base of the plant if increased water retention or weed control is needed. Spread a 5cm layer of mulch around the papaya, no closer than 20cm to the trunk.
11. 11 Examine papaya leaves and bark regularly for signs of disease or insects. Spots or yellowing on the leaves or bark indicate possible disease, and the presence of insects means you will need to treat the tree for pest problems.
12. 12 Harvest the papaya fruit when it reaches the level of ripeness you desire. The tart, green fruits can be eaten as a vegetable or the yellow or orange fruits are eaten sweet.

Tips

• Plant 4-5 papaya seedlings so you have both male and female plants. If you do not have a male and female papaya plant, they will not be able to bear fruit.
• Store fully ripe papaya in the refrigerator to prolong its life and prosperity.Eat papaya skin for protein and is known to be eaten culturally in North Korea and Mexico.

Warnings

• Do not mow or water the weeds near the papaya tree, as you could accidentally hit and damage its trunk. Keep the space surrounding the papaya 0.9m without grass to reduce the need for weed control underneath.
• Refrain from feeding the lawns around the papaya tree. Its roots extend further than the crown line and over-fertilization will damage the roots.

What do you need

• 4 liter pots
• Soil for indoor plants
• Papaya seeds
• Scissors
• Fertilizer
• Shovel
• Compost
• Bark mulch