Originally Posted by Darkman

What month/date do you usually set them out and what month/date do you usually get the sub-freezing temperatures?
If you have them in pots, I would set them out whenever you believe the risk of freeze has past. In my area, that is usually mid-March.


How large are your plants you set out?
It doesn't really matter how large they are, but they are usually b/n 1-3ft. One thing I have learned, though. Papayas actually seem to grow better if you sow them directly in the ground. Volunteers that I get from my compost grow 2x faster than ones I have set in the ground from a pot. I think this has to do with the root system/tap root not being confined from the start. Papayas will grow for a while in pots, but they do not like it.


I will see if I can find Red Lady here. Is it too late to find them in the stores? At what height does it start to set fruit?
I just bought a Maradol (Red Lady) today from Publix @ $1.69lb for $5.50. We tend to get them from Brooks Tropicals who grow them in Belize. If you can't find any in the stores around you, let me know and I will send you some Red Lady seeds. They start to set fruit at around 3-4ft. As far as cost effectiveness of growing papayas: If you grow one plant and it yields 10 fruit in a season, that's $55 worth of fruit. Also, you can pick them when they are actually ripe, instead of early like the commercial growers!


I'll keep that in mind. The BB's root zone the way that I grow them is in the top three to five inches and normally is in the mulch and not in the soil. I provide irrigation so the water will not be a problem.

Thanks for the great information.