Introduction: Hello friends, today we learn about growing Dwarf papaya from seeds. Papaya is also called papaw or papita and its scientific name is Carica papaya. It is a fast-growing fruit tree with an unbranched woody trunk and its big leaves are spectacular.
The Papaya fruits may take on a variety of shapes, including pear-like or round, and are known for their sweet, yellow or orange flesh.
The fruit of the Papaya is also called pawpaw and it is eaten raw without the skin. The Papaya fruit is sweet, low in calories and high in potassium and vitamin A. Papaya fruit is also used in drinks, jellies, salads, desserts and is also dried and candied.
Requirements for growing Dwarf Papaya from seeds
To grow Papaya indoor choose one of the dwarf varieties and you can start it off in a 2 to 3-gallon pot. Papaya is a good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, iron, calcium, protein, carbohydrate and phosphorous. It can be grown for different purposes that contain food preparation, for industrial and for medicinal uses.
Growing dwarf Papaya in pots is not difficult, considering it is short living small tree. You can grow any Papaya variety in pots or containers but it is better to choose a dwarf variety.
Dwarf Papaya means a tree whose height is less than 10 feet, though many varieties of Papaya that go up to a height of 3 – 5 feet. If you want to plant and do not live in tropical and subtropical areas, then this is the ideal option for you. With a little care, you can place it successfully. This will give you papaya fruit in every season.
Climate for Growing Dwarf Papaya from seeds
The optimum temperature for growing Dwarf Papaya is 25 – 30°C and minimum 16°C. The well-drained or sandy loam soil with adequate organic matter is most important for the papaya cultivation.
Prepare soil for growing Dwarf Papaya from seeds
Choose a nutrient-rich potting mix for tropical plants, or make your mix out of garden soil and 25 to 50% compost. As long as the soil drains well, the accurate soil texture doesn’t matter. Dwarf Papaya will grow in sandy, loamy, or rocky soils. The suitable pH value for growing Dwarf Papaya is between 6 and 6.5.
If you can test soil pH level or you are choosing between commercial potting mixes, select a soil with a pH between 6 and 6.5. This is a broad range, so any soil that successfully grows other plants in the garden likely has the correct pH for Dwarf Papaya.
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If you want more of your seeds to germinate, use sterile potting soil mix. You can make your own by mixing one part vermiculite and one part potting mix and baking this mixture in the oven at 93 degrees Celsius for one hour.
Light required for Dwarf Papaya plant
Dwarf Papaya plants do love the sun, the more direct sunlight your Papaya plant receives the healthier it will grow and the greater the chance of fruit production it will have.
A Papaya plant will require at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. If you have a south-facing window this must be doable and if you have a conservatory for putting your papaya plant in this is easily achievable.
Temperature for growing Dwarf Papaya
The Dwarf Papaya plant is necessary for observation of temperature to grow in the indoor. It grows very well at 75 degrees Fahrenheit, so maintain room temperature constant, if the temperature becomes cool due to some reason then you can set it under the plant heating pad. Keep the Papaya tree out in the summer days, and if the outside temperature is below 65 degrees, take it immediately inside the house. Dwarf Papaya likes the sunlight, so do not get worried at the outside warm temperatures.
The pot should I use for a Dwarf Papaya plant
If you want to grow Dwarf Papaya that produces fruit then you will need a relatively large pot or container. If you use a pot that is too small then that can sometimes limit the size of the Dwarf Papaya plant which can sometimes be a good idea if you are growing a papaya plant indoors. To have the best chance of fruit production you want to give your Papaya plant as much room to grow as it requires.
When starting you can use a 2-3 gallon container but if you use a 15-gallon container that should be ample size to produce a healthy 5-foot Papaya plant and you won’t have to transfer it as it grows.
Process for growing Dwarf Papaya from seeds
If you choose to grow a Dwarf Papaya plant from seed you can either collect seeds from store-bought papaya or buy seeds for dwarf varieties.
Seeds should be given treatment before sowing for germination. The first process is to simply wash the seeds to remove the gelatinous coating before sowing. Another process is to immerse them in a container full of neutral water for 4 days. Carefully change the water twice in a day. After 2 days of soaking, separate the Papaya seeds that are floating on the surface from those that have settled down.
Leave the Papaya seeds that are settled down for another day. After this time, the seeds that float up again should be removed. This way only the viable Dwarf Papaya seeds are left. On the last day when changing the water and add fungicides in it.
After this process, keep the seeds on cotton cloth for 2 – 3 days, keeping up the seeds wet. Once the white dot in them can be observed they are prepared for sowing.
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Proceed to sow the seeds directly on the ground or in the pot or the container or seed tray but remember that papaya trees don’t transplant well and you’ll have a low success rate. Seeds will germinate in 2 to 3 weeks.
Plant Dwarf papaya seeds
You may plant seeds directly in garden to avoid the risks of transplanting them later, or you may plant them in pots or in containers to have greater control of plant arrangement once you see which ones are sprouting. Poke the Papaya seeds into the soil about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) under the surface and about 2 inches (5 cm) apart from each other.
How to provide water to Dwarf papaya plant
Water is the main contributor of the Papaya plant (the plant is composed about 85% of water). In the process of germination, and the first few months after planting, Dwarf Papaya needs a lot of water, so at this stage water regularly.
In the dry season, to get good results in production, watering should be increased again. Keep the soil slightly moist but not wet. As a rule of thumb, water Dwarf Papaya plant deeply when top 1 inch of soil dries out.
Fertilizer application for Dwarf Papaya plant
Dwarf Papaya trees require proper fertilizer applications to ensure fast growth and optimal development of the fruit.
Carefully, apply fertilizer once every two weeks. Apply fertilizer to growing Papaya plants every 10–14 days, diluting it according to the fertilizer’s instructions. Use a “complete” fertilizer to plants, not a specialized one.
After the plant reaches the required size, commercial growers continue to fertilize papaya every two weeks. Newly planted Dwarf Papaya trees need phosphorous for proper root establishment and growth. When planting your Dwarf papaya tree, add 1 pound of treble superphosphate to the planting hole. First, use a spade to dig a hole that’s about 3 feet wide and 8 inches deep. Then, pour the superphosphate into the bottom of the hole before planting the Dwarf Papaya tree.
Compost serves several purposes and it directly feeds the papaya tree with important nutrients, including nitrogen. It helps improve drainage and creates the moist, rich soil conditions that papaya trees prefer. At the time of planting, add 2 pounds of compost to the bottom of the planting hole before planting Dwarf Papaya tree.
Dwarf Papaya plant care
Pests and diseases
Dwarf Papaya trees aren’t bothered much by insects indoors. However, watch for spider mites, which love dry conditions in the winter season. Thrips and whiteflies can also be invaders. Treat any infestation instantly. An all-purpose organic spray of neem oil will obtain rid of pests and mildew. Do not spray Papaya fruits that will be eaten.
Care of Dwarf Papaya fruit trees
In addition to proper Dwarf Papaya growing conditions, suitable care of papaya fruit trees is also important. For Dwarf Papaya trees to thrive, they require some fertilizer. Provide young Papaya plants fertilizer every 14 days using ¼ pound of complete fertilizer.
Fertilize older Papaya trees with 1 to 2 pounds of fertilizer once a month. Also, be sure to take a soil sample and amend as essential. Water Papaya trees frequently for best fruit production.
Mulch Papaya trees with 4 inches of wood chips to help retain moisture, taking care to keep the mulch 8 to 12 inches from the trunk. Protect developing Papaya fruit from pests by placing a paper bag over them until they are ripe.
Harvesting Dwarf Papayas
Dwarf Papaya fruit set occurs 10-12 months after planting. The Papaya fruit is sensitive to sunburn and it must be separated from the tree carefully using plastic gloves or something similar, pick it lightly with a twist or use a short knife, leaving 0.5 cm stalk.
Harvest papayas only when the fruit turns a yellow color. Papayas are ready to harvest after 6 to 9 months from seeds. Before eating Papaya fruit store them in a refrigerator for 2-3 days and consume the fruit when it is half yellow.
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I am in the uk how do i find a dwarf papaya i have srouted seeds from a supermarket one but don’t know its size
I am in Zambia, i want to grow dwarf papaya trees.
Abraham, I lived in Kabwe for many years and we had mango, paw-paw and avocado trees all over the yard.
Seeds are available, I have ordered mine from the UK and looking forward to receiving them shortly. Good luck, I envy the climate you have for tropical fruit. Here in Port Elizabeth, wind and water are a problem.
Interested in growing dwarf papaya tree. I live in Southern California, so there is no way I can purchase the fruit from you. However, if you have seeds for sale that might be one way. Except, don’t know if seeds in the mail will pass agricultural screening or whatever screening they do over at the post office, before delivery.If you have time, please reply. Thank you.