Im tryna grow papaya in a temperate climate, anyone else?

[lajos93]

I wonder how far can I push it? My plan is that id plant out 2 meter papaya sticks in ground in June and by september Id harvest ripe fruit, is that a possibility?

I made a short video:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/flQmV1cZtCc

Ive done this experiment in my sunken greenhosue 2 years ago, but then the planted out plant was only about 30cm- I wonder if I overwintered a 2m papaya stick indoors, would it make it?

Looking for similar minded, slightly crazy people that like to experiment

[K-Rimes]

They did not survive winter in 9b. They barely survived winter in 10a when we had a cold and rainy year, the top of both of them rotted.

It is possible if you grow them to fruiting size in a greenhouse, move them outside for maturation in full sun, then bring them back in, but risky. It takes a long long time for a fruit to fully ripen.

[lajos93]

yes, digging em up is a must, I wonder whether its better to grow them in a large container and keep them like that over the summer, then bring em indoors

OR plant them outside, with the rootball intact, then dig them up early Autumn

BTW i think in 9B you can get away witha  hardier rootstock like oak Leaf papaya, im pretty sure of that

[K-Rimes]

yes, digging em up is a must, I wonder whether its better to grow them in a large container and keep them like that over the summer, then bring em indoors

OR plant them outside, with the rootball intact, then dig them up early Autumn

BTW i think in 9B you can get away witha  hardier rootstock like oak Leaf papaya, im pretty sure of that

I vote for large container, prune roots annually before putting back in greenhouse / winter storage.

[Wodyetia972]

I would say it is not worth it, leave them in the greenhouse all year.
Here in southern Portugal they barely survive outside without fruit. In the greenhouse I could harvest even in February.
The coldest nights here are 1 to 2 celsius outside and 8 inside with days inside above 20 while outside it can stay 12 when cloudy.

[Jaboticaba45]

Large container is better,
They can be fruited in containers like 20-25 gallon pot would work well in the long run.
I had one, it grew pretty big and flowered for 2-3 years straight but never set fruit.
I had the hermaphrodite one but for some reason it never set🤷‍♂️
If from seed, may want to grow out several to get male and female