The papaya , a member of the Caricaceae family , is a tropical fruit raise primarily in Hawaii , in the southwesterly United States , and in Mexico and Central America . In both the Mexican and Hawaiian varieties , the fruit , leave and seed are edible . If you project to grow a melon tree in a container or from come , you should understand its nutrient requirement . The papaya is a arduous feeder , and choosing the best fertilizer is crucial to growing a lush tree .
Background on Papaya
Papayas raise best in regions where yearly temperature stick between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and one-year rain averages 40 inches . Although the papaya can grow upward of 30 foot at maturity , it is really a short - experience recurrent herbaceous plant that lives at most four old age . All parts , including the fruit , flowers and leaves , are comestible and the papaya blooms unceasingly under the correct conditions .
A tree diagram can be male , distaff or hermaphroditic , but it ’s difficult to ascertain sex until the plant blooms . Male bloom have clump of small white blossoms on fork-like tentacle that can be nearly 18 inch in distance . distaff blossoms are slightly larger with a undivided clean blossom , with straight petals surrounding a miniature fruit close to the root . The epicene person has both male and female constituent in one blossom so it can self - pollinate .
Optimal Soil Conditions
Papayas do well in light , porous , alimental - rich soil that drain well . Plants should be water regularly , but not to the full stop where urine pools . Too much H2O can lead to root rot . In wintertime , the papaya prefer dry conditions . A slightly acidic soil mix is best , with a pH range of 5.5 . to 6.7 .
Fertilizer
According to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences ( IFAS ) , minor amounts of plant food should be utilise and adjust as the papaia tree turn . A complete plant food should be layered around the drip stemma , and amounts should be increased as the tree grows . A complete fertilizer includes essential industrial plant nutrient , including atomic number 7 , phosphate , potash and magnesium . If you ’re using an organic plant food , spread a layer of compost and supplementation with nitrogen - rich sources of constituent subject like line of descent meal , Pisces emulsion , at-bat guano or manure . The proficient course of activeness in feeding is to observe how the melon tree reacts . If leave of absence take on a purplish or reddish plaster cast , then the tree diagram is potentially downhearted on phosphoric .
Fertilizer Frequency
Young papaya tree flora should be fertilized with a slow - release , N - rich fertilizer every 14 days and a 1/4 - pound . of concluded fertilizer . As trees grow larger , the fertiliser portion should be increased to 1 to 2 lb . every other calendar month . Because compost provides a continuous dim - release shape of atomic number 7 , which might not be enough to support the papaya ’s rapid ontogeny , add nitrogen fertilizer monthly . Adjust the amount based on the tree diagram ’s reply .
Test soil pH periodically . If soil becomes too acidic ( less than 5 ) , then add together iron sulfate and potentially little fate of agrarian lime . If soil becomes too base ( more than 7 ) , tot chelated branding iron mixed in water and use as a land drench .
Growing in Pots
Because of mood , poor dirt conditions or infinite constraint , some gardeners prefer to grow papaya trees in container . When summer condition are red-hot and gay , the flora can be displace outside . In wintertime , it can be moved near a windowpane with southern exposure .
If you ’ve transplanted a papaya tree from another container or from the exterior , look until you see new ontogeny before you fertilize . Take circumspection with container melon tree trees . Too much fertilizer inhibits ontogenesis . A concluded or balanced fertilizer with adequate proportions of nitrogen , phosphorous and magnesium may be used . In plus , water - soluble fertilizers can be used in accordance with manufacturing business ’s instruction . If the works look green and goodly , then it has the correct nutrient .
References
Related
