Grow An Exotic Tropical Fruit in Your Own Backyard!The Yellow Papaya Tree is the perfect fit for anyone looking to easily grow sweet tropical fruit. Rapidly growing in the sunny, warm climates of zones 9-11, the Yellow Papaya is a delicious delight to add to any tropical landscape. Bringing both ornamental and nutritional value, you can't go wrong with a Papaya tree.It's like a palm tree with a sweet surprise. The Yellow Papaya looks similar to a palm tree, growing tall and thin, reaching heights of 20-30 ft within a couple years. There are no branches on this smooth trunked tree and the bright yellow fruit grows right from the trunk itself.Gorgeous tropical leaves complement the flowers and fruit. Over 3ft. wide at maturity, the grand leaves of the Yellow Papaya give this tropical tree some added ornamental value. You'll love how they complement the white flowers that bloom before the yellow fruit appears.You'll get papaya unbelievably fast. Within months of planting your tree, you'll start getting papaya. There's no growing season, so you can expect tropical fruit all throughout the year. Most trees produce 60-80 lbs. of fruit each year!Papaya are sweet, but you don't need to feel bad for eating them. With very low calories and very high fiber counts, you'll feel full and satisfied without the guilt. The sweet, juicy treat is packed full of the nutritional benefits of Vitamin A and Potassium. Papaya will taste great when added to your salads for a sweet supplement.Start growing your tropical, sweet Yellow Papaya today. Just imagine, within a few months of placing this order, you'll have plenty of delicious papaya to eat and share with friends and family. With very little effort, you'll get so much in return. Don't miss out on your chance to grow papayas in your very own yard! Planting & CareChoosing a location for your tree: Plant your Yellow Papaya tree in a very sunny location in your yard. It will need plenty of sun exposure to thrive. If you live in a windy area or an area that is subject to strong storms, be sure to place your tree in an area that will shield it from the wind. Papayas grow very tall and as they get older they will not stand up to strong winds. Be sure to plant your Yellow Papaya at least 20' away from powerlines and buildings. If planting multiple trees, plant them at least 10' away from each other. If planting in a pot, be sure to keep the pot in a sunny location and bring indoors when temperatures reach below freezing. Yellow Papaya will die if subjected to frost. The tree will go into a state of stasis is temperatures reach above 90 degrees, but as soon as temperatures drop, the tree will begin producing fruit again. Planting Instructions: Plant your Yellow Papaya as soon as you get it as the roots develop very quickly. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball, but twice as wide. Place a slow release fertilizer that is 16-48-0 or 18-46-0 in the bottom of the hole. Place a layer of soil over the fertilizer so the roots do not touch it. If you do not have rich soil, amend your soil with compost. Place the tree in the hole and fill it with your soil, but make sure the base of the plant slightly sticks out of the ground. Make sure your soil is well-drained as the Yellow Papaya will not survive any flooding. If you live within 7ft. of the water table, plant your Papaya tree on a 2-3 ft. mound. Mulching: It is best to add mulch around the base of your papaya tree to keep out any competition as the Yellow Papaya tree is a very thirsty and hungry tree. Begin adding a 4" layer of mulch 1 ft. from the trunk of the tree, extending 5 ft. out from the tree. Watering: If you live in an area with sandy soils, you will need to water around the base of your tree every 3 days during hot weather. If you live in a place with rocky soil, water your tree every day during hot weather. When the weather begins to cool, water only to maintain the moisture of the soil. Do not let the soil stand in water or become too wet. Fertilization: You will need to fertilize your tree frequently in its young life. Because this tree grows so rapidly, it requires a lot of food to maintain that growth. Until it begins producing fruit, you will need to add 1/4 lb. of fertilizer every 2 weeks. Once it begins producing fruit, add 1 lb. every other month. The fertilizer you add needs to be completed, including nitrogen, phosphate, potash and magnesium. Pruning: You will not need to prune your tree at any point as there are no branches. Pollination: The Yellow Papaya will self-pollinate, but planting several will ensure a bountiful and high quality harvest. Insects and Diseases: It is wise to treat your tree with a fungicide immediately after planting and to continue to monitor its condition for any signs of disease throughout its life. Everyone loves papaya, including fruit flies. If you wish to harvest your fruit, it is best to tie a paper bag around your papaya when you see them develop on the tree. This will prevent fruit flies from burrowing inside of the fruit and laying eggs. Harvesting: Do not eat fruit that has fallen from the tree. Instead, when you see that 1/5 to 1/3 of your fruit has turned from green to yellow, you can pick it from the tree and allow it to ripen in the fridge. Picked fruit can be kept for 7 days in the refrigerator. You can also dry or freeze your Yellow Papaya. As your tree grows, it may be difficult to reach the fruit and picking may require a ladder. Additional Information: Papaya can live up to 40 years, though they stop producing edible fruit after 3-5 years. It is possible to plant another papaya tree from the seeds of your fruit, but it is quite a time consuming process to weed out "bad seeds." If you wish to continue to grow Papaya, we suggest ordering and planting a Yellow Papaya tree each year. This will give you a continuous cycle of fresh papaya!
