ladyflyfsh

I bought it at a very trustworthy local nursery. The petioles are not red and I don't think that is a prerequisite. I've seen photos online that do not have red petioles. I would have to say my fruits on these trees are exceptionally large because I have used Atomic Grow throughout their lives since I planted them and the roots are humongous. They are strong and super healthy trees. Atomic Grow is not a fertilizer and it is 100% organic. Go back a ways in this thread to read more about it since it has already been hashed out on this thread at an earlier time.

The newer fruits at the top of the trees are smaller and it is still putting out new fruit. I will say this though, it is the most delicious papaya I've ever eaten. Really sweet and great flavor!

harveyc

Looks great, Mary! I just now stumbled across this thread.

I checked out the sight for Atomic Grow. Do you know if it is something other than 100% neem oil? I can't tell from the web site and don't see any mention of it being organic, only that it's a product of "agricultural oils". Do you have more info?

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ladyflyfsh

It is not Neem Oil. Here is another page you can check out: HY Yield Lawn and Shrub

harveyc

On the other site there was a comment that said "we use neem oil" but it wasn't clear what they were referring to. On the parent site they just refer to "horiticultural oils" without saying what kind and they say it's approved as "all natural" but there's no mention of it being organic that I could find. I'm a sucker for these sorts of things but just try to find out more before trying something new.

Edit: I was searching to see if I could find any patent or MSDS information for this product and stumbled across this discussion thread that makes me skeptical: Why Atomic Grow Sucks! - Tomatoville® Gardening Forums See the threats by the company in post #61 and also see post #72. I'm glad it seems to have worked well for you Mary, but I don't have any plans on contributing my financial resources to this character.

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ladyflyfsh

Well, that's too bad Harvey because that entire thread is only about one person who used it and didn't like it. The others were just like a herd of sheep saying I won't use it then. It is a wonderful product and I have no ties whatsoever to the company. I had a problem with insects on a bougainvilla and I sprayed it with Atomic Grow and the bugs went away and the foiage came back completely. I had green stinkbugs all over my orange tree and I sprayed it and they all disappeared, the leaves are all shiny and fresh looking and lots of new growth is coming out. I use it on everything from my veggie garden, roses, fruit trees, flowering trees, you name it.

The ingredients on the bottle I have are listed as follows and in this order: made of soy, corn, grains, potatoes and cactus

You make your own decision, but I will continue to use this product because I find it highly effective and all the plants in my yard are thriving! I have never had one negative effect from using it, so I will not be persuaded otherwise until the day I do have an issue. Until then, I'm a happy camper

Richard

First of all, I'm happy Atomic Grow is working for you and I'm not advocating that you stop at this point.

Update: a discussion of the product has been continued here: Atomic Grow

Second, those of us in agriculture are curious why it is working. Since the product is being sold as a nutrient certain state and federal laws come into play.

• The manufacturer is required by Florida state law to pay a "mill" tax. This number should be on the bottle. The mill tax is used to pay inspectors who come around infrequently to verify that the product content matches the label.
• Federal law also requires a list of active ingredients in percentage by weight unless they wish to claim the "organic" exemption. If they wish to claim it is organic and exempt from listing percentages, then it must (maybe it does?) have either the FL Dept. of Agriculture or USDA certified organic certificate. A non-government organic certificate doesn't suffice.
• Regardless of whether it is organic, the manufacturer is required by federal law to provide an MSDS.

If the manufacturer is not doing any of these things, then it is a poor reflection on the owners. Sooner or later the state or federal government will catch up with them. Hopefully they will find the product is as advertised and the owners only negligent in the registration.

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harveyc

Mary, more than the one bad experienc was the fact that the owner came on and accused the user that he hadn't followed instructions when he had said he he had followed the instructions precisely. Further, this post was made without revealing he was the owner of atomic grow. He then goes and has an attorney threaten legal action unless the thread is deleted. The fact that the owner Tom and distributor Kathy has posted phony Q&As is signs of a shady operation, IMO. Such a person will never get a penny from me.

I'm glad it has worked for you. It would be very helpful to see some. Controlled studies by a verifiably independent third party.

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sunfish

ladyflyfsh

No problem everyone. This thread is NOT about Atomic Grow, but is about my beautiful papaya trees which are fruiting like maniacs. I am getting huge, gorgeous fruits with no bugs, tree ripened and now I have more than I know what to do with. I only wish some of you lived closer so you could have some. I'm running out of room in my fridge...I am up to my eyeballs in broccoli right now also. Next it will be tomatoes! What a great winter we are having! Merry Christmas everyone....

harveyc

Thanks and merry Christmas Mary. I wish you were closer as I would surely help make room in your refrigerator.

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lkailburn

+1 on that i would LOVE to taste a tree ripened papaya!

-Luke

venturabananas

I'm hoping that this coming year I'll join the ranks of the folks who've enjoyed tree-ripened papayas from their own yard. I have a couple of TR Hovey plants and some Mexican papayas that made flowers too late in the season and haven't set fruit. I hope they'll make it through this cold winter we're having and produce some fruit next year.

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Richard

Just to clear up some confusion here ... Male flowers do not set fruit. BUT, what you may be referring to are fruits from female flowers versus hermaphroditic flowers. A more thorough discussion can be found here: Plant sexuality - Wikipedia.

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Dangermouse01

Hi Mary;
Just wondering how your Red Lady's did with the cold fronts your area of Florida has seen so far this year? Hopefully nothing to bad. My parent's (East coast, central Florida) have had papaya trees in their yard for as long as I can remember. Cold weather knocked 'em back, but I can't recall them every buying a new one. So they either kept coming back, or came up as volunteers from the compost.
Planning to get a papaya (or two) for my yard soon, not sure if I will go with the Red Lady or some other variety yet.

DM

ladyflyfsh

Hi! The trees are doing fine. The foliage died back as to be expected but the fruit are doing just fine as I continue to get tree ripened fruit. I just picked one yesterday as a matter of fact and they are delicious. I highly recommend this fruit to anyone wanting papayas in their yard. It grew fast and is like an ox as far as growth and strength. There is new growth coming in already as we only had really one frost and one night of low temps but no frost.
Thanks for asking.

Good luck.
Mary

harveyc

Mary, someone in another group from Florida asked if there was a variety they could grow that did not taste like vomit. I've never found them to be offensive myself but wondered if you've had any you did not like or what you might suggest to this person.

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ladyflyfsh

Well....it seems pretty obvious to me this person doesn't like papayas to begin with so why bother growing them? All I can say is, there is nothing like a tree ripened anything! These were not good if picked green and allowed to sit in storage to ripen. They had to have a good bit of yellow/orange blush on them prior to picking to continue to ripen and become sweet and full of flavor. I highly recommend the Red Lady papaya and as far as names of other varieties, this is the only one I have actual experience with.

Yug

That is an incredible statement!! I've personally NEVER had a papaya taste like 'vomit'. I have had some with relatively little taste. I know some folks get skin irritation from the milky sap that drips from newly picked fruit.

momoese

I don't eat papaya for the same reason, it has a foul taste to me. I don't eat Salmon either for the same reason.

I do like Babaco though.

venturabananas

I've turned many a papaya hater around just by squeezing lime on it before serving. It balances the flavor and somehow diminishes the "funky" smell.

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