Author Topic: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?  (Read 1510 times)

Kevin Jones

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Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« on: August 15, 2020, 03:29:12 PM »
I have six 7 foot tall Caribbean Red Papayas growing in containers and I'm starting to get a little concerned.
My greenhouse is only 12 ft tall and I was wondering... Can you trim a PaPaya tree back to a more convenient height?
I experimented on some smaller trees... they have very pithy cores.
I still have a few feet to go before I run out of room.
Any procedure that will cause flowering sooner?

Thanks

Kevin Jones


CarolinaZone

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2020, 03:44:31 PM »
Same problem here.

TonyinCC

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2020, 04:58:02 PM »
 This stuff works pretty well on most plants to stimulate blooming - Scott's super bloom 12-55-6 you can find it online or at big box stores.
Soluble kelp powder is natural and my favorite bloom inducer but is expensive.
 If your greenhouse has a dirt floor you could dig a pit in all or parts of it to get clearance. I have seen some papayas over 20 feet tall though. They can develop multiple trunks when cut back but even then might be too tall unless you have a dwarf variety. My neighbor cut one down with a chainsaw intending to remove it and multiple trunks started to regrow from the stump before he could get rid of it. This link might be helpful.
https://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/growing-papaya.html#:~:text=If%20a%20papaya%20loses%20the,the%20papaya%20plant%20gets%20older

 I know of someone that dug pits in his greenhouse for tall growing bananas. Search pit greenhouses if you have never heard of them. I think they are a pretty neat idea.
« Last Edit: August 15, 2020, 05:05:55 PM by TonyinCC »

Kevin Jones

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2020, 06:26:18 PM »
I agree... I have been fascinated with the idea of a pit/sunken greenhouse for a long time.
Thank you.

Kevin Jones


pineislander

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2020, 07:38:55 PM »
I have six 7 foot tall Caribbean Red Papayas growing in containers and I'm starting to get a little concerned.

What size containers?

Kevin Jones

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2020, 08:56:23 PM »
5 gallon pots.

Kevin Jones


BoBiscuit

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2020, 10:31:51 PM »
6-7 ft (around 1 year from seed) is when I start to see flowers on my papayas. So maybe you're really close. Here's some of my Hawaiian solos just blooming at that height.




msk0072

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2020, 03:44:05 AM »
My observations, in containers they don't bloom very easy and get very very tall
Mike

Kevin Jones

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2020, 05:01:57 AM »
So far... mine as well.

Kevin Jones
« Last Edit: August 16, 2020, 10:13:32 AM by Kevin Jones »

Plantinyum

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2020, 07:26:17 AM »
I have one papaya ,growing in a pot that is starting to flower and is very short, around one meter high ,will take pics later and insert them in the post .

spaugh

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2020, 11:52:29 AM »
Papaya is a monstrous plant, they need a much larger pot or ideally put in the ground then they get huge. 
Brad Spaugh

Kevin Jones

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2020, 12:13:13 PM »
They may be impractical for container growth... this particular variety anyway!
Winter Is Coming! The Culling Season.
We'll see who last through the Purge.

Kevin Jones

pineislander

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #12 on: August 16, 2020, 05:56:32 PM »
5 gallon pots.Kevin Jones
That could be your problem. A mature papaya tree will have soft pencil diameter roots out 6 feet or more wide I know because I have encountered them digging. They are not hardwood trees nor a tree at all, they are a gigantic herb, very greedy and fast growing. You could plant just two use a 25 minimum or 50 gallon pot. If you want to fruit these in your zone buy good professional seed with only female/hermaphrodite seeds and give them the world, they will return your inputs.
The best I've grown, recently back in stock:
https://www.shop.alohaseed.com/product.sc?productId=18&categoryId=4

Plantinyum

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2020, 02:45:26 PM »
Heres my above mentioned papaya ,that is starting to flower . Flowers gender suggestions ??








Longranger

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2020, 02:51:02 PM »
Male.

canesgirl821

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #15 on: August 17, 2020, 03:11:17 PM »
Seconded, male.

Kevin Jones

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Re: Tall, Tall Papayas - When Will They Ever Bloom?
« Reply #16 on: August 18, 2020, 12:28:26 PM »
I guess all my threatening motivated one of them into action:



Which gender?

Kevin Jones