[Arid_gardener] Re: papaya fruit thinning?

[Dick]

Check with a local nursery, Marilyn. That information should be elementary to them. I spent 28 months with the Marine Corps in Kaneohe at the Haiku transmitter station during WWll. The plant grew wild in that valley. I have never heard of fruit-pruning papaya. That might, however, be an option with marginal soil and climate. I personally would not prune. I have grown them in Arizona but where ever they are grown, the species is short-lived producing the first year and rarely lasting over five years, especially in Arizona where, with less than perfect drainage, they often topple from root rot. Papaya is an herb with about 400 seed in a single fruit. They do best in climates where the temp is seldom under 75F  nor over 85F. Give them plenty of 21-0-0 and water well if drainage is adequate. The papaya root resembles a huge carrot that must have abundant oxygen in well aerated soil.

Papaya is a really fun fruit to grow. If you know what to look for, you can spot them peeking over fences in a few yards in the Salt River Valley. There are three sexes, not unlike humans, male, female and hermaphrodite. You should all grow this erotic--parden me; exotic plant.

Dick Gross, MGV, U of A Maricopa County Cooperative Extension. Member Arizona chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.

PS: Marilyn, you have the same name as a renowned horticultural scientist in Florida, Cornell University? My aging mind may be playing tricks on me but could you possibly be that person? On second thought, that Marilyn would not need to ask this question.

Bcc: Arid Gardener; AzCRFG
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Marilyn Harris 
  To: info at crfg.org 
  Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 1:50 PM
  Subject: papaya fruit thinning?


  From Honolulu: My papaya plant has grown very well. It has a large amount of fruits on its trunk. It was purchased from Home Depot when 5" tall. This is its first fruiting. Should I remove some of the fruits so that the remaining fruits will get larger? I've no idea how many fruits it can bring to full size. Thank you. Marilyn Harris
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