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Originally Posted by Natureboy
I've grown "Red Lady" (which is what is shown in the video from S. Florida) with good success here in Central Florida. It is a semi-dwarf variety, but will still get overhead in one season. Because we usually get sub-freezing temps each winter, it is usually grown as a single season plant.
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What month/date do you usually set them out and what month/date do you usually get the sub-freezing temperatures?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natureboy
The papaya will fruit over multiple seasons, but fruit quality will decline. Best success is growing in a greenhouse or getting a REALLY early start in the late winter so that you can start harvesting fruit in late summer/fall.
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How large are your plants you set out?
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Originally Posted by Natureboy
I've grown Red Lady from seed (from the store) and most of the plants are either female or bisexual, a few being male. Bisexual is obviously the best, because every flower develops a fruit and no male pollinator is needed. I was thinking about ordering some seed from this site, they have a lot of varieties: Papaya Seed Some varieties like Solo do not tend to do well in FL, but succumb to disease. Red Lady is disease resistant, tastes great, and is shorter, which proves to be a good combination. |
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?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natureboy
Also just wanted to mention that I've noticed that papaya roots can spread laterally in great distances (10ft or more from center) in a single season. If you are growing them as an annual, it shouldn't be much of an issue, but something to keep in mind. The roots may interfere with your blueberries. Papayas do like to suck up alot of water!
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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.