Quote:
Originally Posted by Want Them All
Question is, what potting mix should I use? I have some Kellog Gro-Mulch-Compost that I mix 50/50 with native soil for planting other trees around the house. Is this mixture OK for the seedlings? Currently they're between 2 damp paper towels on a plate.
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I agree with Mario, but what I was essentially communicating, and might not have done an effective job at it, apologies. I also live in CA, and though the other more fortunate people here who are living in ideal climates for Papaya. Unfortunately, as our Cali weather isn't even near to what they get, we deal with dry cold winter air with the combination of rain in the dead of winter, which for Papayas, cold and rain don't make a happy plant. I agree about Solo, but for some reason, they too suffer greatly in the hardest part of winter, and also the dry hot spring days we get, where there's no humidity in the air. However, I've bought Solo as a 3 gallon at Lowe's, and it did fine till about mid-December, where I wish I would have changed over the soil to 50% Sand and 50% Perlite, because they completely mushed at the soil like an overwatered Plumeria. It was a mess, and I was left with a 5 foot tall "pudding stick". lol What I might recommend is making a cutom mix for the Papayas, instead of pre-bagged. Maybe something like 1/3 Cactus Mix, 1/3 Sand, and 1/3 Perlite. This should help it drain quickly yet provide the softer soil combination that allows their roots to venture. Also, young seedlings have a tendency to dampen off, so I'd keep out too much organic material and rely on something that drains pretty quick.
I hope that bit of sideways advice will help, knowing it came from a fellow Californian who has similar weather through the worst of times.
BTW - I have 3 Papaya trees that are 9 feet tall right now, and I just had a problem where a mouse was crawling up the stalk and eating off all of the foliage. Not pretty.