I planted these this past spring and they are a little slow about turning yellow. I picked just one that turned but it looks like the first freeze will come before they all turn yellow naturally. If I pick before the first freeze, how much fruit quality will I loose?
Karl

If the fruit is picked before part of the skin turned yellow, there is a big chance that it will not ripen naturally. The skin will turn soggy and there will have some splotches of mildew growth all over the skin after a week or so. It is not going to turn pink or yellow or turn sweeter. It will just rut until you get disgusted and throw it in the garbage.
The fruit has to be eaten fresh either ripe or raw.
As for the green papaya when picked, orientals have used them in cooking and for salad but it will not be conducible with American dishes.
Green papayas are sold in the oriental market more expensive than the ripe ones.
BTW congratulation for successfully had grown papaya to maturity.
I am still trying.
I have one now about 2 inches tall and in the dining room window. It is the dwarf kind that Millet recommended that will bear fruit at about 3 feet.

Thanks Bennie
I did find some recipes to cook them green, so I will give that a try. I ate one that ripened on the tree yesterday and it was soooooo much better than the junk you buy at the supermarket. Honestly there is no comparison!
What is the name of the variety that produces fruit at 3’ tall? That sounds like a good choice for containers.
Karl

We have many wonderful recipes for green papayas. Basically you peel off the skin, scrape off the seeds and white stuff inside, then cut them to pieces and use the green papaya as you would use Chayote. Or you can julienne them further and use in stir-fry recipes.

We use it for a lot of soup recipes such as Chicken Tinola.
http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=57321

Karl:

I believe the name is Tainung papaya but there are other varieties as well and you can choose which one is best to grow in your area. You can order them at this nursery:


Aloha Seed & Herb
World's Best Papaya Selection!

* 202 East Main Street
El Centro, CA 92243
* (760) 337-3100
* (fax) (760) 337-3135
* sales@alohaseed.com
You can type tainung papaya at google search and it will come up with lots of info for you.
Good luck!
I also believe that is best for a potted plant but I just can't grow anything inside my house. The bugs get them one way or another. But Gina gave me some good info combating this bugs.

Benny

My problem really here is the cold. I can't believe how cold sensitive these papayas are. I forget to bring them in when temperature is around 38 deg F, then they're dead a couple of days later.

Tried planting several in the ground while it was warm in late spring, the nematodes ate their roots all the way to the base of the trunk.

Yes, that's true. Cold is my other enemy.
I have given up growing papayas year after year but when I see Millet's papaya pictures or Karl, I forget my promise (lol).

I tried growing Chamburro in the ground, that one grew very well. Then I grafted Papaya and Babaco unto it. Was jumping up and down as these all took, then came the Arctic Blast... The whole thing disintegrated. Even the roots were reduced to mere skin. Everything....

May try again someday when I get hold of another chamburro.

Bennie
The picture is a Tainung F1 #1 that I started from seed in February. Millet is trying the Red Maradol Papaya so I just ordered some seeds from Aloha. The sales person at Aloha told me that the Red Maradol grows to about 6’ and fruits early. If it will fruit that quickly (7 months) then I have enough spring and summer days to harvest earlier than the Tainung, well I hope so anyway. Millet thinks the Red Maradol will be well suited for containers so I will also try that,
Karl

So, did you find out what variety will fruit at the height of 3 feet?
That's what I thought Millet said to me. I was mistaken.
Benny

So, did you find out what variety will fruit at the height of 3 feet?
That's what I thought Millet said to me. I was mistaken.
Benny

Benny
Here is the link. I am anxious to try this variety.


http://www.shop.alohaseed.com/product.sc;jsessionid=C6F70A7C0BC8BDBB5D2FC0F0B932CEB3.qscweb23?categoryId=4&productId=19

Thanks Karl.