oakshadows

Have not heard of using coffee grinds to repel bugs. How good does it work? i use a concoction of lemon oil, molasses and dishwashing soap to control most of the chewers. Also use neem oil if there is one bug that thinks it is superbug. Of course, with all of the rain we are having it has to be redone often.

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

soundofthemusic1

Noah,

Deer is my main pest problem. They haven’t really eaten much of my papaya plants, but I don’t think coffee grounds are the reason. It is work to apply bug spray for plants, especially vine plants. I don’t know how you and other gardeners keep up with it.

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Rae
Georgia 7B

ladyflyfsh

Papaya update for today, the last day of August, 2011. More papayas just keep coming and the trees are super healthy and growing even taller. I just can't believe the growth on this thing!

lkailburn

Wow that's amazing. About how much do you think the bottom ones weigh now?

-Luke

ladyflyfsh

I don't know Luke, I never thought they'd get so big! The ones on the other tree are more elongated and they are big also!

sdpanther

WOW! That is so cool! I've never seen a papaya growing. Now I want to grow one because it looks so neat! (I don't really care for papaya :P) Maybe if the kids like them I'll find a spot for one!

soundofthemusic1

Mary, your papaya fruits are so beautiful. .

As Sdpanther mentioned, papayas are not fruits kids like to eat, but they are great for making papaya drinks. There are many online recipes when you surf on the web. A simple one requires only cut-up papayas, milk, sugar or honey, and a blender.

Enjoy your fruits when they ripen and thank you for the updates.

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Rae
Georgia 7B

Darkman

From IFAS site,

HS11/MG054: Papaya Growing in the Florida Home Landscape

Female plants produce medium to large round-shaped fruit of good quality and a large seed cavity. Bisexual plants produce small to medium elongated fruit of good quality and a smaller seed cavity. Male plants with bisexual flowers may produce a few, elongated, poor quality fruit.

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Darkman in Pensacola

AS ALWAYS IMHO AND YOUR MILEAGE MAY DIFFER!!!!!!!!

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!

Statistics - Data that analyst twist to support the insane opinions of those that pay them.

ladyflyfsh

I am astounded by how big the fruit are getting on my papaya trees. They are huge and seem to still be growing. I'm wondering when they will ever start to ripen! The two volunteer plants that came up on their own in my compost bin are also now starting to produce fruit. I have no idea what they are!

Here are some updated photos of the progress on the Red Lady papayas.

oakshadows

It looks like the visitors have arrived. The critters usually will eat a fruit when it is ripe. You might try one that looks like the eaten one. We hope you don't get the problem with rodents eating your fruits like we did. If you can remove about 3 foot of the branches at the bottom and wrap the trunk with aluminum or pvc pipe and the plant is far enough from any thing they can reach to get on the plant, you may be able to keep them at bay. Good luck.

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

ladyflyfsh

I'm not sure what you mean, "the visitors have arrived". There is no damage on any of these and nothing has even attempted to eat them. What are you referring to?

oakshadows

You posted four pics, on the second from the top one of the fruits looks to have a chunk chewed out of it.

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

ladyflyfsh

nah, it's just a shadow!

oakshadows

Better start picking before the shadow returns.

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

Dalmatiansoap

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oakshadows

Was it easy ro start them from seed? How long did it take to fruit? We like papaya and would like to grow some but if it takes 4 -5 years then I'll pass. I am trying to get banana plants that produce in a year or less. In zone 9 it should happen. Further sound and one can count on a good harvest on a regular bases. Thanks

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

oakshadows

If you use google to find deer repellants you should find a post about plants that deer don't like and avoid them. I will search some and see if I can find it since it has been some time since I looked. No deer here but daughter in Virginia has big problem. When I lived in Virginia I solved the problem with a rifle. Good luck

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

ladyflyfsh

I didn't start the Red Lady from seed, I purchased a plant (planted it in April and it was only 2 feet tall) but, I had two volunteer papaya plants come up in my compost pile this summer and I transplanted them and they are both already putting out fruit. I have no idea what kind of papaya they are, but it would have to be from one I got at the store. They grow very fast and fruit the same year.

Oh, and here is another photo of the papaya you thought had a bite out of it, from a different angle and another to show scale of how big these dang things really are!

soundofthemusic1

Noah,

I totally agree with Mary that fresh papaya seeds are very easy to geminate. My tallest papaya tree is only about four feet tall since I never thinned out my papaya tress and fertilized them only once with 10-10-10. They don’t get much sun, and I’m not expecting them to fruit, either. I’m glad Mary was able to answer some of your questions.

As you can see from the two pictures below, deer did come back and destroyed a few of my papaya trees, and some has recovered a bit:

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Rae
Georgia 7B

oakshadows

We bought a 12volt 15 gallon sprayer and it doesn't take long at all. They cost around $100 but are so easy to use if you have a lot of vegetation. Also use it foliar feeding. We raise 5 head of cattle and it is used to spray fertilizer on the pastures.
If you have any type of sprayer try this on some of the plants that the deer bother. 1 gallon of water, 1 teaspoon of dishwashing soap, 1/4 cup of syrup (molasses is better) and neem oil. This will deter the deer and keep some bugs away also. Good luck

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."