Papaya

 I live in planting zone 9A and even though it's hot and tropical at least 9 months out of the year, it's not always easy to garden.  I've tried all the basics that we planted up north.  Tomatoes, peppers, corn, potatoes, rhubarb.  And while some plants do thrive, others can be a bit challenging.  I've looked around and experimented with growing outside my comfort box in order to fill in the gaps of what I can and cannot grow.  One thing that I have tried growing numerous times is the papaya.  

The seeds are easy to come by.  Just grab a papaya at the local grocery store and save the seeds from it.  I've tried planting them in all kinds of soil, from the richly composted to sandy soil.  But it wasn't the soil, so much as how I planted them.  This was the first year I realized the seeds are light activated.  Don't bury them down in the dirt, but instead, sprinkle them on top of the soil.  Give them a watering each day, and if you plant all the seeds, you will have dozens of little trees growing. 

The trees grow incredible fast and love water.  Mind you they don't want to sit in water, but they love being watered.  Look for an area with good drainage, to plant your little trees.  Since it's so hot where I live, I water in the evenings.  This gives the water a chance to soak in, instead of evaporate. 

Papayas are also prone to die if they get hit by a frost.  But it doesn't matter, because if you start them early enough, the tree can grow from seed to fruiting in one year.  The ones I started last year, made it through the winter which is why they are doing so well this summer.  I now have enormous fruit that are just smiling in the sun and I can't wait to add them to my fruit salad.

Every year I learn something new about the fruits and vegetables that I grow.  And every year something changes.  But once I have the basics figured out, that is where the magic happens.  And now I can say that I will be growing papaya for years to come.