Author Topic: What's eating/destroying my young papaya trees?  (Read 1299 times)

savemejebus

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What's eating/destroying my young papaya trees?
« on: April 21, 2018, 02:43:16 PM »
At first I thought it was the iguanas that hang out in the area, but now I have no clue. I've wrapped them up in mesh fencing but every time they get a set of leaves on them they get wiped out. I am guessing it happens at night. Iguanas? Snails? Ninjas?




lebmung

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Re: What's eating/destroying my young papaya trees?
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2018, 03:20:18 PM »
Someone eats the leaves?
Papayas when they are small are very sensitive and prone to root rot. Cold nights and over water is killing them. Also bad soil and immature compost.

greenman62

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Re: What's eating/destroying my young papaya trees?
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2018, 03:44:38 PM »
not much attacks those leaves.
spider mites maybe,
outaide that... hard to tell...

was it jus transplanted ?
the roots hate to be disturbed.
i see small green leaves at the base.
good chance it had to rid itself of large leaves
to conserve water
(extra water wont help if the root system is damaged)

does it have good drainage ??
i would leave it alone if it does.
sun and moist (not wet) soil should bring it back.
the woody mulch is good, but make sure its not too deep to cause root-rot at the base.



savemejebus

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Re: What's eating/destroying my young papaya trees?
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2018, 03:56:52 PM »
This is about the 4th time this one and the two others near it have been decimated. It's not leaves falling off - it's a full set of leaves one day and nothing the next morning. If they were falling off they would be inside the mesh cage in the morning. I have 3 more papayas on the other side of the yard planted from the same group - they are growing like crazy and have yet to be attacked. Those ones are close to the dog run and I figured that might be keeping whatever is attacking the others away. It's really frustrating because every time these flush out, they get eaten.

lebmung

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Re: What's eating/destroying my young papaya trees?
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2018, 05:23:15 PM »
Someone seems to like the burning latex. Just don't spray Neem oil, they are sensitive to it, it will burn the plant at 1%.

gnappi

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Re: What's eating/destroying my young papaya trees?
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2018, 07:06:16 PM »
Well, I'm in Coral Springs (the north side near university and Sample) also and nothing has been molesting my three small papaya.  Deer might do that but CS has none and I don't think butterflies eat papaya, at least not in my yard. 

I would get some tent stakes and stake that plastic fence to the ground and cover the top with the same fence / net and tie wrap it to the sidewalls. Maybe at the very least a destroyed fence will give you a clue as to the size of the culprit.

Also if it's a herbivore, spreading some dried blood on it might keep whatever is from decimating the leaves and may leave it alone.
Regards,

   Gary

MangoCountry

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Re: What's eating/destroying my young papaya trees?
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2018, 07:40:57 PM »
Caterpillars eat mine. Also my passion fruit leaves. Fast too