Papaya Circles - John Kaisner The Natural Farmer

www.johnkaisner.com/
In this video you will learn how to prepare seeds, grow saplings, and create papaya circles. In addition I will show you what papaya circles look like in various stages of development.

[@MyVegetablePatch]

Yay! 'Say no more'....fantastic work! No chemicals, no artificial fertilisers...simple, easy way to work with Mother Nature and learn from her. It's fantastic to listen to people who think a like - thank you so much for sharing, it's greatly appreciated :-) - Heli.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you Heli ! I appreciate hearing this feedback. It's great to travel this road with people like yourself.... Be well.

[@kathym7495]

I have very sandy soil. I often pull weeds primarily to have material for the compost pile! Thanks for extolling the value of weeds!

[@sinamkumarjitsingh570]

Like many of the friends I also have no good feelings about weeds which are considered a curse in gardening.However, you have really changed my notion of weeds, & it is a blessing for me, otherwise I would have continued the age old practice of weeding & burning. Thank you for your thought provoking summary on papaya circle.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Wonderful. I'm very happy to hear this.

[@pirti1008]

So great to see this video!! Youve done a brilliant job. Kept it simple, informative and educative...An affirmation that im on the right track...we have very poor clay soil with rocks....most think im quite crazy because i use weeds and pits...great harvest of papaya, pineapples and banana...zero chemicals... we're in south Goa.

[@dreamqueen9909]

The BEST planting video I ever seen before. Thank you

[@lundoftheeast219]

Recognizing the benefits of weeds in the garden has completely changed my relationship to gardening. Thank you for mentioning!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

+Joshua Eastlund That makes me very very happy. Thanks for sharing! I certainly have no regrets at having made the transition :)

[@thejourneytoeden7486]

Great video. Weeds have been my #1 fertilizer for years. Love seeing the use of what you have rather than bringing in outside materials.

[@jnviljoen5679]

Of all the videos I've come across on KZbin you are literally one of two people who really get it. From your remarks about man and his ego to working WITH nature. Patience rewards you with taste. Organic rewards you with taste. Back to nature. Back to Eden. Peace brother. JN

[@bijoyvasudevan1861]

Excellent, great knowledge 👍

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you

[@gratitude354]

Just wanted to let you know ...you teach permaculture practically the most easiest way... Sometimes the whole concept of permaculture gets overwhelming.. But after watching your videos ..the nerves really calm down.. and we can grow slowly and steadily and abundantly happy

[@AccessAlly]

Beautiful! We're growing papayas in North Texas for the first time, and I learned a lot from your video. Will definitely do a papaya circle next year!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

How did it work out?

[@Solracalliv]

Great video. It is Dec 3 2017 Today. I am planting just over 100 papayas here in Ontario Canada. The seeds were placed in my hydroponics bed on Oct 13, 2017 and they are about two inches tall. Going from hydroponics to soil can be tricky since you first have to move them to pots, then outside so the roots get disturbed. I really like the circle method you have shown and I'm going to implement it in the field. You have taken a lot of time and care to make these wonderful videos. The audio is great and video is excellent. Thank you so much. Seeds I am using are Indian Dwarf from Sri Lanka

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you very much Carlos. 100 papaya in Ontario! Indoors I hope... :) Yeah, every time I transplanted baby papaya, they just lost all of their leaves. But eventually they recovered. It's a really wonderful plant, and the fruit is lovely. Let me know how things work out... Good to hear from you.

[@anasuzettesibal728]

Thank you for your work, I will try this method in our sand florida soil

[@pratibhakulkarni9862]

Thank you so much for your prompt and satisfying reply. Saw the videos you had suggested. Very informative . Really amazing to see bananas so closely packed. True as you say mother nature has her own design!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

+Pratibha Kulkarni Yes I am always amazed when she shows me new things. We all have our opinions, but observation can really be a powerful tool.

[@jewelwheeler1]

Thank you for such an enlightening upload. I value your advice and your methods. Just they way I like to try and grow things.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you

[@africanhomestead]

Wow, I love this approach to utilizing weeds in pits to feed plants, conserve water, and improve soil. I also laughed at your comment that “everything around here is eating everything... it’s the tropics”. I totally get that! Here in Liberia, the cultural logic is to plant papaya, banana, and plantains on old trash pits. The thinking is that as their refuse breaks down, the plants above are fed. Unfortunately, their trash also includes lots of bad waste! I will definitely be incorporating this concept in my development projects! Thanks for sharing.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Before I left India, I planted many papaya directly into the garden bed. I found this especially helpful to shade the plants during the summer. The papaya is fast growing, non-invasive, filters light gently for the plants below, and gives a yield.. I might actually give the same approach a go here in Sicily. Papaya is really a wonderful parasol for gardens.

[@jaybarnette3522]

The African Homestea

[@karenhitchens3563]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge of sustainable farming, very helpful! Stay healthy and safe. :)

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you.

[@matthewmcmillan4410]

Thanks a lot for this video, im watching from South Florida, lots to learn.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Great! Happy to hear from you...

[@tommyknockerparanormalinc]

Awwesomeness, thank you. More great ideas to extend what I had already started. Loving it!!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Woohoo! Glad to hear it. Thanks for the kind and positive comment. Happy you're here...

[@lezannewinshaw]

So grateful for all your videos. Wonderfully educational material. Thanks for all the effort that you go to to make and share this content.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you

[@sadaqataliminhas]

Great

[@vanram6306]

Supercalifragilistic , awesome so educative , thank you 😊

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Happy to hear it. Thanks for saying hello..

[@nazimpottery3332]

Very helpful. Thanks a lot for your explanation. My situation is similar.

[@magmazerosigma9631]

That was Really GREAT JOB sir, do love it!!!

[@busker153]

I get all the debris from my wife's yardwork business and compost it all!

[@fishgrowgreens9908]

Amazing work!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you. Appreciate your nice comment.

[@jaisingh5801]

Great information and technique Well presented

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you Jai

[@priscillatudela5892]

Greeting from our beautiful island of Saipan. Thks for sharing your beatiful garden of love. I called my garden. Garden of love. Due to love planting. I have a farm small good to provide my need and family to eat in everyday life. No buy at store unless i needs seed. You have lots of seed. Like your video. Keep the good work. Thks.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Good to hear from you!

[@amitdas3933]

Hi friend, it really was a very helpful video to me as your content was pregnant with useful information related to natural farming. Thanks.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you

[@sadaqataliminhas]

Informatry, educational, inspiring. Wow

[@jacobsclaymation6684]

"The soils not good yet" language I understand.

[@Clazers]

To notch stuff!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you

[@letiendung7543]

Thankyou so much!

[@brianrichards7006]

For at least 5 years now, I have never had any difficulty in germinating fresh papaya seeds. But also, when I have bought dried ones, they seem to germinate well also, albeit 2 weeks later than the fresh.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Yes I had the same experience, after making this video. The locals put them in ash because there was a huge ant problem in southern India. The ash kept the ants from eating the papaya seeds. But you're right, you can pretty much scrape them out of the fruit and throw them and they'll grow in the humid Tropics. Nice to hear from you. Thanks for your comment.

[@joxxxyalpharius2008]

thank you !

[@jeremiahplayz1232]

I am excited to do what you are doing. Trying to plant papaya organically in the Philippines and I want to plant cacao trees in between organically too. You are an eye opener. Thank you.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Good news. Happy to hear what you're planning. Papaya is one of my favorite foods. It is actually one of my favorite plants. I know people who have had success with them here in Sicily. Once we are established, I hope to grow them here is as well. Good to hear from you...

[@mansourhrera6151]

you are great

[@1978tarun]

Great Video Sir

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you

[@rachellesolagnier3080]

Hallo John, My name is Roger (this is my wifes account) and I live in Aruba. I have enjoyed your videos and I have learned plenty from watching them. I am on the verge of beginning my own permaculture plot but it will be a production farm thus production is essential. Aruba is in a very dry subequatorial zone where water is very scarce and the environment is harsh. There are many people who are planting papaya and bananas but they do this in their homegardens where greywater is available for them. I have been thinking of doing a banana/papaya plantation on a plot of land I have. I don't have acces to grey water, so I need to be creative with what I have. Because of the scarcety of water I was thinking about combining the Hügelkultur techniek with the circle growing method. instead of raised beds as Hügelkultur suggests I wanted to dig a bigger pit and feed in the circle mostly wood matter and on top some hay and then cover it the outer circle with the sand that is available on the plot. I will be leaving a pit in the middle to keep feeding organic matter as time goes. In the circle I am thinking of planting banana or papaya on top and intrudoce the guild plants that they desire. On the same plot I will be combining banana circles with papaya circles. I won't be mixing these plants on the same circle but give each their own circle. My question is do you have experience with this type of design? Or am I setting up to fail?

[@modernguntur7008]

Simplicity makes World a Best place (which was 200 years ago)

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Yeah we've lost a lot of gems along the way But they can be found once again... Good to hear from you

[@palawanjungledays3099]

Thanks, I was wondering why all the papay I've planted didn't survive. Now I know little bit more to do better next time.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Ok good

[@TheVigilantStewards]

Would like to hear about the soil biology changing, the way the weeds work with that, and how to bring in chickens every now and then etc.... basically how to help that healing and growing process along and a quickened but also strengthened way

[@tomastylecek7209]

i do the same, i just plain old leaves. i dont yield as much but the garden is so healthy and the soil is so rich in just 2 yrs

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Very good

[@yosupyang2952]

ㅏ파야나무가 엄청 크게 자라는군요. 나켓에서 파파야를 사서먹고 씨를 화분에 심었는데 많이 싹이 나왔어요. 그래서 그중 몇그루를 뽑아 화병에 넣어 내방 테이블에 장식해 놓았는데 엄청 크게 자라는 나무라는 것을 알게 되어 기뻐요.하와이에서 처음 먹어보았거든요. 아보카도와 함께요.

[@laferriere6]

Thank you for this video. Im in Florida 9b, and i already did my banana circle. I mixed compost in with each of the bananas. But seeing this again, i have to ask, should i just be planting directly into the soil/dirt that I pull out of the circle? Or should i be amending that soil with compost while developing my pit?

[@lesliescrivenermacklin4063]

John. Thank you SO MUCH.. what part of the world are you doing all this roderful work. AM LOOKING FOR LAnd in Panama to do the same.

[@mariovizcaino]

9:42 Due to male/female/hybrid infinite possibilities, I would recommend keeping 3 at every spot to clear after the first flowering season. Then you can decide which ones to keep at you decided ratio of females-hybrid fruit producing/male pollinator. Bearing in mind that big female flowers grow from the trunk (as in 14:55), and smaller males in a dangling clump.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

You are obviously a papaya expert. Thank you for sharing.

[@timypp2894]

Hi John, great video. Talking about not fertile soil. Just wondering if you have tried urine as fertilizer? Some Asian countries use this for centuries. Used diluted with water and a watering can. If you haven't, would it be worth a test trail plot. Plants with urine and another without.. see how grows the biggest. Keep up the good work.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Yes. I used to use diluted urine on the papaya plants in India. Works great!

[@andresamplonius315]

Have you tried using kudzu (legume) or vetiver grass for biomass, mulch?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Kudzu wasn't available in that area, but vetiver yes. Whatever weeds or biomass is on hand, we use it...

[@bayyq]

I save my seeds all the time with out removing the gel coat, they dry out. I have planted the seeds a year later and got them to grow. But I live in Arizona so its pretty dry here. But my papayas grow wonderfully here

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Great to hear! Yeah, the tricky part about the Tropics is the ants. Everything eats everything. So part of the reason for the drying out is that. But I'm very happy to hear that simply drying the seeds works as well. I'm in Sicily now and I'll give it a try (less ants...) Thanks for your comment!

[@erwiljimfernandez7765]

Never did i imagine papaya can be grafted wow

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

So... I've never grafted a papaya. The papaya you saw in the video, the one with many "heads" sprouting out of one trunk, was a papaya the was chopped and regrew. It was located next to an area where a cow shed was emptied regularly, so there was massive fertility there. But apparently it was chopped and regrew like 4 or 5 tops, as you see in the video.

[@AmandaTrought]

Great information...I have a lot of problems with slugs and snails which keep eating the flowers of my papayas what pest deterrents can you recommend.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Lots of ash from the fireplace. Throw it all over the plant and all around the soil at the bottom. Do it again after it rains.

[@infodiff]

Thank you.....

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

You're welcome

[@911review]

excellent video. i live in the city, and dont have the biomass you do, but, i use cardboard, banana and palm leaves to cover the ground near the base of my plants to contain as much moisture as i can. sometimes using cardboard as mulch (instead of throwing it away) i also grow as much diversity as possible. so, instead of just harvesting the closest weeds,, i gather different plants... dandelion, comfrey, nettle, amaranth etc... and I grow vines at the bottom. passiflora, sweet potato, though, dont let them choke out or climb the papaya. i grow my papaya and other plants in levels too the plants on the south side (front) are smaller with taller in the rear (north) to get as much sun as possible when my papaya are 4 or 5 ft tall, i chop the top several inches off this keeps them shorter, letting the plants behind them get more sun and also it keeps the papaya shorter to reach the fruits.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

brad mayeux Hey Brad. Thanks for the comment. Yes the cardboard is great for all of those reasons. And given that you're in the city I imagine it's easily available. I don't use it here because they don't really have it available in the Indian villages, and we limit ourselves to the same materials they have. But I know the cardboard really brings the worms! Take care..

[@annsepulveda8811]

+The Natural Farmer hi sir, my husband did the same and we have sweet papaya thank u

[@webwillie1]

gonna give the pit a shot...thx.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

It's pretty effective. Let me know how it goes...

[@ieve1955]

I just love you. I’m going to do that here in St. Augustine Florida. I already have papayas growing and I’m going to grow more. Now I’m going to try your circle technique since we have crappy soil here too. The soil is very sandy, it’s hot, humid and rains a lot , so that rain washes away the soil. The only thing I worry about is the mosquitos because we have them and I don’t want to create more with standing water. What do you suggest? We are in 9a planting zone?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you very much. You're very kind. If you keep the mulch in the center of the pit filled to maximum height, mosquitos will be unable to access the water below...

[@hanamauidaze]

@@TheNaturalFarmer Papaya has shallow roots and do not enjoy wet feet, so need great drainage

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

@@hanamauidaze Very true

[@smrsraja]

Wonder full video. I have heard about banana, papaya circles but today only understood it from your video. We have a farm in Tamil Nadu and will definitely try this out. Also, do you think we can implement this concept for guava or lemon. We have 1-2 year old guava and lemon and keen to know if its a good idea to dig pits between each 4 of them. I would imagine with one in each corner and the pit in the center it would be more of a square than a circle. But that should not matter, right?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

+smrsraja Thank you. Yes, try banana and papaya circles. To answer your question, no, I would not recommend this exact technique for any fruit tree that has branches that spread in a classic "tree-like canopy". It will not work. Their branches will get tangled together and they will die. This technique is good for papaya, banana, coconut and bamboo. Coconut circles should be larger, allowing for more space for their roots, and bamboo circles should be larger still... If you want to plant guava or lemon, you can place a compost pit between them, making sure the distance from tree to tree is sufficient. Or you can plant them in a food forest. Check out this video if you have not yet... kzbin.info/www/bejne/maaagYV-hd-qf5I

[@chrism3845]

Thank you for this presentation. Can you please address pest management - ie how do you protect the forming papaya fruit from pests like fruit fly?

[@wessamsaifeldin6715]

I reed that they use a mix of neem oil and lemon grass diluted and spray them specially before and during flowering and fruting time

[@jomarijarapa7623]

Can papaya circles be used for other tree and plants?

[@gelandadunbar1182]

Can you have one circle with banana and papaya if space is limited.

[@AvionOrr]

What is the ratio of getting female plants against male plants when the seeds grow?

[@nutran5534]

thank you wonderful information i tried to move mine and they are dying

[@RamamurthyBS]

Very nice, where is this farm

[@KTx-nj8ei]

Can you do a video about growing papaya fruits and letting it ripped from tree but not have papaya fruit skin get moldy looking or look like it’s cover with sap coming from skin?

[@user-kt4pb3oj6f]

How do you determine a female versus male papaya? I have a small yard so I cannot grow too many papayas.

[@EwaldCloete]

Hi John, Hope you are doing well! I love watching your videos and even ones that you didn't post yourself, and I have a few questions regarding my own food forest that I'm in the process of starting. We live on the South Coast of South Africa, a Sub-tropical climate. My first question would be regarding this video on Papaya trees. I've heard that only female plants or hermaphrodites carry fruit. Is this true as I've noticed you remove plants out of the circles to other circles and even plant them using seeds. Is there an easier way to tell which plants will carry fruit from a younger age that I'm not aware of? My second question is regarding monkey's. We have a massive population of Vervet monkeys that live in our neighborhood and they make planting edible things extremely difficult. What advice would you have starting a food forest with them around? How can I keep them from eating every single thing that I plant? It would be very difficult having to monkey - proof 200 trees without covering my entire forest in bird netting. Thank you for the help and for making all these videos for us to learn from Kindest regards, Ewald

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Hello Ewald Thanks for your message. To answer your question, I am not aware of how to distinguish "male" from "female" papaya plants when they are young and unproductive. There may be someone out there who knows what to look for, but I do not. In terms of your second question, vervet monkeys are very difficult to deal with. Any monkey for that matter. The internet says spray fruit with chili pepper or neem oil, but that will change the taste of the fruit for you was well. It also says hang rubber snakes in your trees. Scarecrows, etc. Rudolph Steiner said that for whatever pest you seek to deter you must 1. capture a collection of them 2. kill and burn them, then 3. spread the ashes of the victims all around the area you wish to protect. But obviously this is quite the violent and bloody solution when we are talking about monkeys. I don't know what to tell you. It's a problem I do not yet have the ability to solve. I'll let you know if any bright ideas pop into my head. In any case, thanks for reaching out. All the best...

[@EwaldCloete]

@@TheNaturalFarmer Thank you so much for the reply. Yeah, I think that they are a creature we haven't quite learned how to keep out of our gardens besides killing them, and that I definitely do not want to do. It's a tough one to deal with. Thank you. Have a good one!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

@@EwaldCloete Had a thought... If you can work with a clearing, where there are no trees nearby, then you could potentially use 1-1.20m high poultry fence connected to a 9V solar battery source to protect your trees. Animals, even monkeys, are quite intimidated by even a low voltage pulse shock. It doesn't harm them and it may keep them away. You could experiment on an area using baskets of fruit as bate, prior to going to the trouble of planting trees. If the heights I've listed are not high enough, then two lengths of fencing could be run, one above the other, to achieve greater heights. Wooden posts ensure proper insulation. What do you think?

[@joygwokyalya1860]

Some people advise placing the seeds in a bowl of water, the ones that stay at the bottom of the bowl are more likely to bear fruit

[@louiseswart1315]

Would it be possible in urban context to plant different kinds of fruit tree together in a circle, obviously checking that their needs are similar.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

As long as the branches don't conflict too much with the neighboring tree in the circle. Here in Sicily I plan on experimenting with a pomegranate circle and possible a lemon tree circle. I imagine any tree you can espalier, you may also have a good chance of growing in a pit garden format...

[@Peekcasso]

Amazing Video! I have been trying to grow papaya under Full spectrum light and growing box but its not growing as tall. Mine sre around 20cm when they get the brownish trunk. Could it be a dwarf variety? Unluckily my climate doesn't allow me to grow papaya outside. Just in summers

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thanks Will. Nice to hear from you. Yeah it sounds like it might be a smaller variety, but to be honest I'm not sure. It was really easy to grow papaya in the environment where we shot this video. Climate makes things easier for sure. But hats off to your hard work and good results...

[@Peekcasso]

@@TheNaturalFarmer Your Videos are amazing! Learning a lot from them! Hopefully soon I will be also able to grow in such climates and use your techniques. Until then gonna try my best in the continental climate of Austria.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

@@Peekcasso That sounds good. Best of luck in all that you do!

[@Peekcasso]

@@TheNaturalFarmer Thanks a lot! Keep up the great work!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

@@Peekcasso :)

[@rajkumarsubramaniyan4983]

Hai johanath ji. I am having 3 acres of in that I am going make drumstick+ banana circle+ papaya circle by 3x3 m spacing , shall I go for it, I need your valuable ideas

[@SandyPrager]

I was wondering if you have papaya wasps where you are? Here in Southwest Florida, it's quite a problem. We have an acre here that we started planting 2 1/2 years ago, including around 20 papaya trees. I've lost at least 60% of our papayas due to them. I refuse to use any chemicals, so I'm trying different methods like making a diatomacous earth foliar spray, and tossing any papayas that show signs of infection. Some folks bag the papayas on the tree, but that's impractical here. Any suggestions? Thank you a thousandfold for your videos! Our wonderful tasting fruits and veggies are in big part, due to what we've learned from your videos. :)

[@roman3m]

Sandy Prager m m

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

No papaya wasps there. Luckily. That sounds terrible. Did any of the organic methods work?

[@victorreis4732]

Hello. I would like to know if I can plant a papaya plant direct from the seed without taking the gelatinous thing out of it. I'd also want to know if I can plant the seeds in a vase and after some weeks or months replant it in the ground. Thank you in advance. Best wishes for the YT channel. A really nice one. :)

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

+Victor Reis Hello Victor. You can do anything you want. :) I am a big fan of experimentation. However, you may have more luck if you somehow remove the gelatinous coating. If you picture what happens in nature if man is not around...the papaya falls to the ground, the fruit decomposes. As it decomposes, it eats away the gelatinous coating, which allows the saplings to grow under the mother tree.

[@bobbyburns9829]

Aloha hi where in the world are you located?

[@akeem1221]

Hi, sir, would you recommend i put organic fertilizer in the pit? Say vermicompost or compost? my papayas were attacked by insect giving kind of white ashes. How do i controll that organically?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

I always suggest that the best approach is experimentation. Sure, you can add whatever nonchemical fertilizers you wish. But I would not "waste" vermicompost or compost in the pit. Just put the unwanted organic material in there. It will process this material into compost for the papaya. Another thing that papaya likes a lot is diluted human urine (though this is very controversial for some people) If you use it, dilute to 1 part urine 5 parts water, at least. Place in the pit. They really like it. Yes, I've understood that many Papaya around the world are being attacked by this. I'm sorry but I do not have an answer for this. Have you done a search on Google? I wish I could help, but I'm not in India, and therefore not near the Papaya at this moment.

[@akeem1221]

Thnx once again 4 your punctuality. Well about human urine i can do it. For the white ashes i will try neem tree oil. Thnx n Merry christmas.

[@TylerDurden404]

​@@TheNaturalFarmer why is it controversial to use human urine?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

+ Feed The Soil For some reason the reply option is disabled on your comments.... Yes it's all a lot of hypocrisy in the end. Anyone who flies in an airplane for any distance whatsoever is doing much more to destroy the earth than to save it. I have lived in India the past 4 years, but I do fly back and forth. I am currently at a village of 500 people, working with farmers in the north of India. I know how they live. I know exactly how they farm. They do many things unbelievably well. A few things are out of balance. Burning the weeds does not help them, nor anybody else, regardless of economic stature. It takes from the soil without giving back. As a point though, I don't tell the locals anything. I ask them questions, then I see what chemicals they're using, then we work backwards, seeing if there might be an option to getting things done more naturally. Maybe yes maybe no. Who am I to tell anyone what to do ever. However, demonstrating how to do things more naturally and then letting people see that can go a long way. But only if someone wants it. To answer your other question from the other video... yes there are cobras around, and other snakes. We keep a balance of mulched area and cleared area for exactly that reason. The locals kill snakes when they see them and there are a lot of mongoose (geese?) around as well. This seems to keep things in check.

[@AmerijamAcres]

I've got a papaya growing in my banana circle. It fruited some time ago but the fruits have remained the same size for some time. It's almost as if they flowered, fruited and stopped development. I'm new to growing in the tropics so I don't know what they should be doing. I just posted a video on the circle today and asked about this very problem. I need some advice from someone familiar with the way papayas grow. Is it just how they grow or is there something I need to do to get these fruits to mature.

[@bradsuarez2683]

+Amerijam Acres Hey buddy funny seeing you here now... I guess we think alike!

[@AmerijamAcres]

Funny how great minds think alike.

[@bradsuarez2683]

Amerijam Acres Haha true true!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Glad you two are here! :)

[@james-jq8sk]

If you wish to store seeds, just dry them with tissue, and air dry them in the shade...

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

It's true. But in Kerala, India the ants will get to them and carry them away. Hence....wood ash

[@christinedurant2512]

How big should the pit be

[@jacktucker2371]

ive been trying to grow papaya in goa for three years now, every times monkeys comes and destroy the plant, any tips on defending against such things?

[@boxermomma1918]

How do you protect your papaya from the papaya wasp?

[@mcbeet9898]

gd pm sir. papaya is ok here in japan? here in japan we have a 4 season but summer is very short

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Depends on your elevation and where in Japan... It's happiest in the Tropics.

[@apetlambinicio6585]

WOW! AMAZING! HELLO SIR DO YOU HIRE WORKER? CAN WE APPLY?

[@cindystrong9631]

How are you determining male or female ref putting on fruit?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

The males have white flowers The females make fruit. Were you able to observe and see this? (I'm responding late to your message. Sorry)

[@hardyakka6200]

Strewth! All that for a Paw paw? I just throw some seeds beside my garden shed before long I will need to thin them out to one.. Either that or let my neighbour plant some and pinch hers.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Haha Umm....ok. So this is not a video about planting paw paw (I'm guessing that's the local name you use because a paw paw is an entirely different type of fruiting tree). This is a video about pit gardening. And definitely. I've tossed lots of papaya seeds and then planted the babies. But that wasn't the point of this video. A pit garden is a great receiver for grey water (which I don't think I mentioned in this video), and it gives you very good compost. Both of these are not possible when we just plant a papaya in the ground, without the pit part. Does that make sense?

[@SQ_og]

There is bad clay in the spot I wanted to plant 4 seedlings. Going try the circle, elevated and put compost in the middle. Going to be hard to get down 20 inches.

[@sgmsmiles]

research adding gypsum

[@TylerDurden404]

How does putting biomatter into a pit improve the surrounding soil? Since the bio matter turns into compost, won't the compost just be mainly inside that pit? How does it move to the surrounding soil of that pit? Can we also throw in dead animals e.g. dead chickens?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Microbiology goes in and out of the pit, enriching deeper and deeper the soil that is in contact with the pit. No. Only put a dead animal in a carbon-rich compost pile

[@sanjeevkulkarni6835]

I liked both papaya and banana circle videos very much. They are very good. But you say that banana pit should be about 1.5 metres wide. And in the demo you show the papaya pit also quite small. But in actual planted sites both banana and papaya are not that close. What is the right distance ? Sanjeev kulkarni Dharwad

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

+Sanjeev Kulkarni Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you liked the videos. I think of it like this: there are not absolute answers to your question, according to nature. Different varieties come in different sizes, but many planters believe that you should make a rectangle with spacing of 1.82cm x 1.52cm between banana plants. Check out this link: www.bananaplanters.com/site/banana-cultivation-guide/ For Papaya, you can look here www.nda.agric.za/docs/papaya/papaya.htm However, that said, please check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3XSZGOcgNyYi8k Nature shows that she allows banana plants to grow very close to one another, and still creates fruit. That is, afterall, how they grow naturally, without man's interference. I hope this helps.

[@mariovizcaino]

Remember papayas when planted only go up, bananas on the other side grow "children" at his foot, randomly, so in no time a banana circle will be overcrowded if too close planted.

[@cadaverthehacker]

Wonderful!

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you

[@nancyfahey7518]

Molds and ants. Sounds like here in Florida.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

That farm of ours was at 8 degrees N latitude Deep Tropics 3m of rain per year. Two monsoons And yes, mold and ants, and rats that ate the corms of the bananas They circulate through the sand like moles But every place has its challenges Good to hear from you

[@mrd05d]

Have you ever mixed papaya and banana in one circle? Could those with smaller land maybe grow both in one circle to conserve space yet grow more diversity?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Actually I have mixed them. It can work, as long as you don't get flooding. If papaya sit in water they will die. They like drier soil than banana do. Banana can sit in standing water, for a time, and be ok. Contrarily the papaya plants roots will go anaerobic and begin to rot in too much water. I lost 5 adult papaya plants will full fruit sets to flooding once. It was heartbreaking. Hope this info helps...

[@mrd05d]

+The Natural Farmer hmm so maybe build closer to an upper swale with a swivel pipe to allow for lowering the water level to safeguard the papaya from anaerobic rot.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

+mrd05d Sounds good. Maximum water flexibility is always best, right? Sounds like you've got it under control :). Send photos!

[@mrd05d]

+The Natural Farmer Unfortunately I have no land so it is only conceptual. One day though it will become reality. Thanks for the reply and the wonderful videos.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Thank you. No worries. It's actually best, in my opinion, to start this journey before you actually have your own land with which to apply your decisions. I also highly recommend going and working on someone else's land for a while. It's a powerful experience, in my opinion. Glad you're participating... :)

[@quantumchang4410]

If there's no ashes readily available, can you use potash instead?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

I don't use it

[@sangitapatel8064]

Can we grow other small fruit trees in the same manner? Small fruit trees like sweet sop, pomegranate, lemon, etc?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Yes and no. There is a risk that trees grown so close together might get their branches tangles and kill each other. Pomegranate should work. The others would be an experiment.

[@richardjanssen3183]

How far north will they grow I am in finger lakes ny zone 5

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Nope. You need a greenhouse. Look it up...

[@tvdv2571]

I wanna grow some papaya trees on my clay soil....is that someway possible??

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

With enough organic material integrated, many things are possible. Did you try it?

[@skeletorrocks2452]

When it comes to the weeds🤔. Couldn't you do the same process that you used to make Netal water? Rot it into a liquid fertilizer and then compost the rest.👨‍🌾

[@matthewandphee3649]

Will the natural coating on a Papaya imported to the US from other countries prevent sterilization from the radiation imposed on the fruit by US law?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Definitely not. Unfortunately. Nor will the gel magically transform the NGO qualities of what's being grown in Hawaii :(

[@matthewandphee3649]

Wow, thank you for the reply. I was not expecting a response from a video posted three years ago. Thanks! I will definitely check back in to your videos. I just bought a home in central Florida with a large back yard. I am planting many different trees. I have a Banana, a Papaya, a Blood Orange and a Hamlin Orange. I would love many more types.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

That sounds nice. We're in Sicily now, so I'm working with a completely different set of trees, etc, but I have very fond memories of papaya and bananas. In fact, one of my favorite things to do was to plant a canopy of papaya directly in the garden. They acted as umbrellas to help protect the vegetables from the aggressive sun, but still let plenty of light filter through to allow the vegetables to grow. In addition, you get a double production from the same land. Just an experience I wanted to share...

[@matthewandphee3649]

Forgive me for asking but You went form India to Sicily? I would love to be able to go form place to place like that. What do you do for employment? How are you able to move to completely different nations like that? And thank you for your replys.

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Haha. It's actually not as exotic as it sounds. I'm an architect and a permaculturist. I worked in the south of India for an organization for four years. Then I met my wife and we moved here to Sicily, to the village where her parents were born. Now we're making a permaculture site here.

[@cucurbitfan1610]

Can you use sand or sawdust instead of ash?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Probably. Give it a try and let me know if it works. The ash keeps ants from eating the seeds, because in the wet Tropics, ants go everywhere and eat everything.

[@mariovizcaino]

Ash too might act as a mineral supplement for the growing seedling, as if it were a Fukuoka's Seed Ball.

[@JDMaya]

NATURAL FARMER, WHAT TO DO IF THE TREE FALLS, AND IT IS TRANSPLANTED. SHOULD ALL THE LEAVES AND STEMS OF LEAFS BE CUT OFF.?

[@AmerijamAcres]

I have a papaya growing that has either a deficiency or a disease. The leaves are curling up. Almost in a ball. The fruit doesn't ripen. I am growing this papaya in a banana circle and the bananas look great. Also using a deep see weak and woodchip mulch. I'm have never grown papaya before and am at a loss. Do you have any suggestions?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Hi there. Sorry to hear this. It's difficult to watch plants suffer. I never mix papaya into my banana circles. Though they can both be grown in the pit garden method, they are completely different plants, requiring different conditions. Bananas love water. Papaya need dryness, for the most part. Is there a drier location where you could start up a new papaya circle?

[@Aidualc68]

Is this hawaii?

[@rianabrand]

India

[@SQ_og]

I spread about 150 Papaya seeds from yellow Mexican today. I found 4 seedlings from x77 and Hawaiin. May not have room for a circle.

[@mariovizcaino]

OCFarmer Congrats OC.!!! 🇲🇽 I'm mexican and I have not seen yellow papayas again since the cuban orange Maradol arrived here like 30/35 something years ago and swept all commercial plantations.

[@NAGESSWAR6666]

hi Jagannath ,where you are doing natural farming in USA or in India,I see some people around u look like Indians, tell me ?

[@TheNaturalFarmer]

Neither now. I'm in Sicily. May be back in S India this winter...

[@teachatami45]

How do you guarantee that’ll your papayas are female plants.