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myamberdog
Joined: 21 May 2011 Posts: 323 Location: palm springs, california
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:09 pm Post subject: Papaya and the Wicked Summer's Heat |
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Anyone that grow papayas notice that the plant bears like in April/May/June and then stops and starts to bear again in September? I noticed it on my friend's papayas as well - a flush of fruit as we warm into spring and early summer and then later as the nights start to cool off a bit.
Maybe that's it - maybe they're like tomatoes which don't set fruit when it's above 100 degrees and in this case, perhaps the nights had been staying too warm (and probably the soil too) to set fruit.
I can only think it's the cooler night time temps that must re-trigger fruit set as it's just been in the last few weeks they've dipped down for Palm Springs into the upper and mid 70's. At least this year for us, the nights have been unusually warm - above the norm - for many months until just recently. While the daytime highs continue on in the 100's, mostly mid to lower, but still not that much different from summer's normal temps.
PT - or anyone else - have the same experience?
See picture below, and new papayas forming at the top and spring-formed and now ripening papayas on the lower section of the trunk
myamberdawg
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phoenixtropicals Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 1207 Location: Mesa Arizona
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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Looks good. Our weather has been similar here. My papaya tree is still too little to fruit.
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myamberdog
Joined: 21 May 2011 Posts: 323 Location: palm springs, california
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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ah...your reply, PT, made me want to give you a little advice. Give them PLENTY and I mean PLENTY of water when they're growing in this heat.
I, apparently, did not do this, the second full year of their growth, and the fruit that overwintered in 2011/12 got to be rubbery ripe when May came around. Meaning....the lack of water gave them this strange texture - I thought it was the fruit or the heat, but now I'm thinking it was me...
Not only that, the leaves became smaller and more compact - all (I think) because they were lackiing sufficient moisture. Now that I upped the water times, they're back to larger leaves and I'm hoping the fruit will return to normal...
Anyway, that's my theory anyway - how big are they? And are they Mexican or some other type? I've got some Caribbean Red, a couple TR Hovey's and a couple Strawberry Papayas besides my Mexicanos....
MADog
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phoenixtropicals Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 1207 Location: Mesa Arizona
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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If I give them much water here the roots rot. Recall, we have heavy clay here while you guys have sandy soil. Mine is looking good though, just hasn't really taken off yet. It's only been in the ground about 6 months. It's a Mexican papaya.
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myamberdog
Joined: 21 May 2011 Posts: 323 Location: palm springs, california
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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ah, guess I forgot about your clay - is it all like that in the whole Phoenix area ?
I actually would love a little clay nutrients in my beach soil - well good luck
with the papaya experiment - the winter is always the challenge....
myamberdawg
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phoenixtropicals Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 1207 Location: Mesa Arizona
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Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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Clay or rock here. Very little sand. Yes, I'm hoping for a mild winter. Papayas are one of the wimpiest when it comes to frost. I noticed that even when they survive a frost they don't seem to be the same afterwards. They get weakened somehow.
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