Tropical Zone Gardening: Papaya 101 "My Experiences", 1 by rjuddharrison

rjuddharrison wrote:
The advantage of overwintering 2 winters is maturity and growth control. This is what the trees look like that I will over winter this year. They were overwintered in the green house last year. If this winter kills any of the papayas I have that are mature, these trees will be planted in early spring and be huge by the end of next summer, and bearing fruit.

Again, this also works over one winter, and the trees will grow very fast as well.

I've saved the seeds from that one papaya 5 years ago and have had hundereds of Paypaya and Papaya trees all from that one fruit. The key is to treat them like annuals. Papaya tree life span is not usually very long perhaps 5 or 6 years on average. There are always exceptions of course.

If there is one piece of advice I had to select above all others...it's water. If there is a side to error on, then let it be the dry side, other wise they will rot right down to the ground while you helplessly watch.