Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

For the past 3 weeks we've had daytime highs in the 70's (22 C) but overnight lows in the mid-30's (2 C). Here's the papaya cultivar "Solo" I have planted in the ground, so far behaving like those sub-40's temperatures just don't exist! It started setting fruit in November and continues to produce new leaves, flowers, and fruit sets.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Wow, Richard, that's really nice. I haven't given up on my babaco yet, but it is growing fairly slow.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Sweet! Papaya is fun because of how fast it grows. I think mine is just going to die, the top part is real soft and has folded over and the bottom is real soft right now, the bark is peeling back when you just touch it with your foot. I am hoping to see the plant shoot out a pup and not die, but things are not looking so good right now. :(

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Yes, mine grow very slowly if at all during this period. One of them is loaded with fruit though, and drops a 1/2 ripe one about every 10 days. These continue to ripen indoors for another week and are very tasty.

Oh sorry, that's no good. I've seen that happen in some local gardens -- esp. to the strawberry types. I also expected this "Solo" cultivar to fail. If the temperature drops below freezing I'm sure the plant will wither and die.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Hey, thanks for the photo of your 'Solo'. I purchased what I think was one of those last spring. I grew it in a large pot all year and then moved it into the greenhouse where I work towards the end of fall when temps started to cool down. I just looked in on it earlier today and it has a fruit! It's only about 4" long at the moment so we'll see how it does. Is 'Solo' the only papaya cultivar that is self-fruitful?

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

There are many papayas that are self-fruitful, although most of them are not Carica papaya, and the ones that are in C. papaya are typically not hardy below zone 11.

For a run-down on Papaya species, see Carica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Most of these interbreed, so the potential for more plants like "Solo" is very high.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Nice, Richard!

Come back down to my place again, I have some papaya plants with your name on them!
:0519: :03:

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Richard I wondering if your papaya made thru Feb. Mine was doing fine until then. I was also wondering about the babaco I have plenty of fruit but none have ripened.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Yes, mine is doing great. I attribute part of it to being established in the ground with a vigorous root system. I had two others in 10 gallon pots, one croaked and the other is seriously warped.

My babaco continues to ripen fruit that formed last spring, and continues to form new fruit.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Here's a question - what do you two do with Babaco fruit? I'm curious; I only know the Ecuadorian recipes...

Oh, and Sunfish - if you are concerned that your babaco fruit aren't ripening after a very long time on the plant, you can try harvesting a few of them green and ripen them in the sun on your counter if you wish. It reduces the effervescence of the flesh a bit, but otherwise doesn't affect the flavour. I have one tree that is quite stubborn about ripening fruit, and this is what I do with it.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Thanks for the info,I will do that. The fruit have been hanging on since last summer.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

We eat it fresh straight out of the skin, in Salad, in smoothies; or as an ingredient in sorbet, baked goods (babaco bread), etc.

When grown in subtropical climates I don't recommend taking the green fruit off the plant. It needs to stay on until enough enzymes have been delivered to ripen the fruit and give it a pleasurable taste.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Richard: Is there a hardy papaya that I can grow in my area zone 9? I tried it several times in different years but they either got by the bugs or low temperature during winter or both.
So I am waiting until I get me a greenhouse with heater. I have a green house but not completely insulated and no gas line yet.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Don't heat it! Your wife will make you sleep out there for sure!

I am growing the Yucatan papaya which is frost-hardy but will not withstand a hard freeze.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

She already locked me outside and told me to sleep with my bananas and won''t let me in anymore. Imagine she is jealous with my banana plants.
Anyway, where did you get your Yucatan papaya?
I want to grow one so bad that I can taste it.
In reality that's why I got your babaco since you said it can withstand the cold weather here. I am very happy with it as a substitute. But if it is possible, I'd like to grow a real papaya tree. Then, my life would be complete. I can "die" then.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Benny, I don't know where you'd source seeds, but you should check out the Chamburo and Toronche (which refer to the cold-hardy C. pubescens and C. cundanamarcensis, and about 10 other species) - they're grown above the snowline here, so you've got at least a fighting chance at getting to to survive. Oddly enough, if I am remembering correctly they are also the parents of the Babaco!

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

The Babaco is a naturally occurring hybrid between the true mountain papaya (Vasconcellea pubescens, syn. Carica pubescens) and the Chamburro (Vasconcellea stipulata, syn. Carica stipulata).

I don't know yet whether the "Yucatan" is a Carica or a Vasconcellea, but I suspect the latter. It is unusual in that it stores water in the main stalk where most papayas are hollow. Mine was imported by Ben Poirer of Rainbow, CA. He will probably have some rooted cuttings available at this year's CRFG Festival of Fruit.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Well, actually they're all technically Vasconcellas except Carica papaya - the nomenclature was changed about a year ago.

Re: Solo Papaya in denial -- so far
 

Many cultivars of C. papaya are self-fertile if managed properly. They are generally gynodioecious, which means they segregate for female and hermaphrodite plants, generally at a 1:2 ratio (respectively) from seed. There are also dioecious lines that are more commonly grown in the subtropics, but with these varieties at least 10% of the plants must be male for proper fruit set on the females, but even then depending on the local markets female fruit is often not as valuable because it has a different shape from the hermaphrodites.

What growers generally do is plant 3-4 seeds in a small pot in the nursery, and let 3 of them grow to about 1ft and then plant them as a group. When they first flower, the healthiest hermaphrodite plant is kept and all the others are cut back. With this method, there is about a 94% chance that at least 1 of the 3 will be a self-fertile hermaphrodite plant.

I have never heard of a cultivar called 'Solo'. From what I understand, the term comes from "solomente una persona" or "for one person only" referring to its smaller fruit which can easily be consumed as a single serving. At least in Hawai'i and Brazil, any small-fruited papaya is known as a Solo type, but each still with it's own cultivar name.