Papaya (Carica papaya) is a herbaceous perennial of South American origin, whose fruits resemble a mixture of two flavors - strawberries and melons. The stem of papaya is very similar to bamboo, and the leaves are very similar to maple, but much larger in size. It grows well not only in natural conditions, but also at home, in an apartment or in a greenhouse. Under natural conditions, the height of a plant can increase by 3-5 meters per year. At home, of course, it is impossible to do without regular pruning, which is why the papaya begins to give a large number of side shoots.
Some gardeners recommend planting the papaya in a small flower pot to limit its rapid growth. This technique gives its results - the height of the plant will not exceed the two-meter mark, but the amount of the crop will also significantly decrease. In indoor conditions, when favorable conditions are created, papaya can live from 10 to 20 years, and sometimes more. When transplanting it for the summer period from a flower container to a garden plot, growth will increase at a rate familiar to natural conditions.
Caring for papaya at home
Location and lighting
The location of the papaya flower pot should be in a warm or slightly cool room without cold drafts or sudden cold air currents. Although the plant loves fresh air and regular ventilation, in winter, you need to be careful and careful with this so as not to harm it. Since the sun's rays can cause burns in some representatives of the flora, this can happen in papaya in winter from a cold draft. A few minutes of such a cold stream is enough for all the leaves on the plant to wither.
Temperature
Tropical papaya is now widespread in different parts of our planet and has managed to adapt to different temperature conditions and climates. But one of the important conditions and requirements was keeping and growing it at a temperature that should exceed the zero mark on the thermometer. If only the air temperature drops to 1 degree frost, then it will be impossible to save the plant. Both the aboveground and root parts die off completely.
The ideal temperature for growing papaya in an apartment or greenhouse, at which full growth and development will be ensured, is from 25 to 28 degrees, but in no case more than 30. High and minus temperatures are equally dangerous for the plant. In winter, the optimum temperature range is 14-16 degrees Celsius.
In this mode, it grows and develops beautifully, and most importantly, it bears many large fruits (about 40 cm long). At home, it is impossible to create natural natural comfort, so the quantity and quality of the crop will be much more modest - these are just a few fruits ranging in size from 20 to 25 cm.
Watering
The root system of papaya is located close to the surface of the soil, so its top layer should not dry out between March and October. The roots need constant moderate humidity, without an excess of irrigation water. In order to avoid the appearance of root rot, it is recommended to reduce the volume and frequency of watering in winter at low temperatures to a minimum. At this time, the root system is not working at full strength, and the usual amount of moisture can only harm the plant.
During the dormant period, papaya does not need watering, since it has the ability of succulents to retain moisture and withstand drying out of the soil for some time. Dropping the leaves during the cool season is also normal for papaya and should not cause panic in the owner.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Fast-growing tropical papaya during the spring and summer months will require a lot of strength and nutritious nutrition in the form of fertilizers. Complex dry or liquid fertilizing (do not neglect also nutritious spraying of stems and leaves) is recommended to be applied to the soil regularly 2 times a month until the beginning of autumn. There is no need to feed the plant in the autumn-winter period.
Fruit picking
In order for the papaya to begin to form fruits, it is necessary either to have a self-fertile variety or two plants at once - male and female, which, with simultaneous flowering, can be pollinated under indoor conditions. Dissolved papaya species bear fruit only on rare occasions.
Fruit ripening occurs in late summer - early autumn. It is very important not to rush to harvest, so that the papaya fruit ripens completely and its milky juice, which is poisonous in green papaya, becomes watery and loses its dangerous properties.
Papaya breeding methods
Seed propagation
It is recommended to sow seeds in a container filled with moss or any loose soil with good water and air permeability to a shallow depth (about 5 mm). The planting container with seeds must be placed in a warm room with a constant temperature of 25 to 28 degrees Celsius. The first seedlings should appear in about a week and a half. At lower temperatures, seed germination will slow down.
Papaya seeds have a very high germination rate, which is maintained for several years if stored properly (for example, in a tightly closed glass container in a cool room).
Propagation by cuttings
The grafting method of reproduction is used less often than the seed one. Cuttings are cut from the main plant at an angle of 45 degrees. Their average diameter is at least 1.5 cm, length is 10-12 cm. The leaf part must be cut off almost completely, with the exception of a couple of leaves on the upper part of the cutting. The place of the cut in the lower part must be thoroughly dried for 5-7 days, and then sprinkled with crushed charcoal and placed in a solution of a biostimulant, which will promote the formation of roots.
Favorable conditions for rooting are high air temperature (about 28 degrees Celsius), bright diffused lighting, high levels of humidity, high-quality substrate (for example, peat, sand or their mixture in equal proportions). Planting the cuttings is carried out to a depth of 2-3 cm in moist soil, after which the seedlings are watered abundantly. Greenhouse conditions can be created using a cropped top plastic bottle, glass jar, or regular plastic bag. The capacity for the cutting needs a small volume. The plant is transplanted into a container that will be about 2-3 cm larger than the previous one.
Diseases and pests
The main and most common pest of papaya, the spider mite, appears on the plant in room conditions, when the humidity level in the room is the lowest or the air is dry. Urgent measures are regular water procedures in the form of spraying the crown, which are carried out several times a day. The water should be cool or cold.If such activities do not bring success, then natural complex preparations designed to combat harmful insects will help. They can be purchased from specialized stores as a powder, liquid or spray and used according to the instructions on the package.
Root rot is considered one of the most common diseases. The appearance of this fungal disease is associated with a violation of the rules for caring for papaya in the cold season. Keeping in a cold room with a temperature below 15 degrees and the use of cold irrigation water leads to damage to the root part and the gradual death of the entire plant.
The use of papaya in cooking
Papaya fruit is considered versatile and edible not only raw. If they are just a little underripe, then it is better to use them as vegetables and cook a stew or bake in the oven along with other vegetables. Fully ripe fruit can be used to make a delicious pie filling or add to a smoothie or jelly. Papaya juice has not only a pleasant taste, but also one interesting property - it softens the toughest meat. That is why American culinary experts consider papaya juice an indispensable ingredient in marinade.
