Grow Tropical Papayas in Chilly Climates? Use This Fertilizer to Get them Through cold wet Winters!

[@GrowsGoneWild]

Dang those papayas look great. I grew a bunch in various places and pots. The ones I left in the tree pots which are quite root bound are doing very well. I had transferred the biggest ones to 5g pots and most are dead or dying 😂. I think they must not be getting enough oxygen since the soil is staying wet 🤔.

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

Yup

[@melbournesubtropicfruits9474]

@@GrowsGoneWild root rot - don't water in winter

[@RussellBooth1977]

I lost a few potted papaya plants during last winter over here in Australia just north of Sydney (Newcastle) in New South Wales due to torrential rain & the weather was also cold as well. I think that your papaya & other plants are doing well because you have a white brick wall which reflects the warmth onto the plants during dawn which is just after the coldest time of night. So, before the frost gets a chance to totally freeze the dew on the leaves, the heat which is reflected off the brick wall causes that frost to melt so the plants don't get killed by that frost. By next year I will start to plant them in the ground when I get my own property which will be on a sloping block which means that the water will drain away from the roots of the papaya plants. I know that someone in my area has a 4 metre or 13 foot tall papaya plant which does lose most of its leaves during winter time but they grew back during summer time & it's producing a lot of fruit. It was planted in the ground a bit over 2 years ago & they protected it with a bed sheet during winter time then, I am located in a subtropical zone 10b part of Australia which is similar to South Carolina or Georgia in the U.S. !

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

Thank you for the detailed response. Let me unpack a few things . First, the wall is hollow,with a beige stucco covering. Being shaded and morning fog and cold morning temps near freezing every day the wall behind the plant gets very little ir radiation . It does get the benefit of the walls mass so it does moderate the temp where it touches. Our cold 9c soil temp, causes root rot almost every year. Being on a raised bed helps a lot but the product garden phos seems to help immensely, but it’s still being tested. Just want to point out that in your area near Sydney is as you mentioned is usda zone 10a which is closer to south Florida or Los Angeles than Georgia. Georgia can get bitter cold and snow in the winter. Anyway, keep us informed of your experience. I think you should try to grow on a raised bed and try to keep the rain of during cold spells

[@lyonheart84]

Superb looking papaya Jeff. I don't think that product is available here but then with our extra cold, wet and shorter daylight hours here I doubt if it would be a gamechanger 😉

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

Cant you buy it from amazon ?

[@lyonheart84]

@TropicalGardenGuy not the last time I looked but maybe somebody has imported it now

[@melbournesubtropicfruits9474]

Ok in Australia we have similar called Antirot. I aslmost use ours straight in my Avocado inject syringes. Our 6 month winter is frustrating. At least you have shorter winters and more heat units

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

What city are you in? I think we do get colder lowest temps than all manor au cities except maybe your capital

[@melbournesubtropicfruits9474]

@TropicalGardenGuy Melbourne - Even tho I dont get much below 5c winter just hangs till almost end of spring here Summer is good but still not enough heat units as nights in summer cool to 13c great for sleeping tho

[@Will_Grow_Plants]

Ugh, looking good, Jeff.. My yard was fine until we hit 28 degrees, followed by 29 the next day. Things were looking fine and now some of my stuff is looking rough.

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

Fortunately my lowest temp was only 35f… my bananas still look great

[@richscenic]

66👍Wow !! Great presentation, GOD BLESS YOU DEAR , HAVE A NICE TIME , Amazing dear pretty sister, very beautiful , wonderful coverage , greetings from HONG KONG @richscenic

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

I’m confused,

[@garycard1456]

So, if I am not mistaken, the active ingredient in Monterrey Garden Phos is potassium phosphite? (also referred to as monopotassium phosphite). I need to get hold of some. With that being said, I am in the UK, which is a bit of a backward place. Probably difficult to get hold of over here, so I'd have to make it from scratch, using my chemistry skills.

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

I need to do a bit of research on this product myself. I don’t know much about its chemistry and I’d like to understand how it works. My first experience was with avocado and it works. Keep us informed

[@jamesmartinez9140]

Hey Jeff, How do you check the temperature of the soil?

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

Digital instant meat thermometer

[@GreenLove1]

I threw some papaya seeds from a Costco papaya in a cup and 20 days later, they GERMINATED. Any advice on how to keep the seedlings healthy? Also do you need more than 1 plant to get fruit?

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

Depends on the variety

[@Randomguyonyoutube89]

You have bananas close to other fruit trees. Bananas normally are hungry eaters, more so than other fruit trees. What’s your fertilizer regimen like, One size fits all or each tree is tailored? Can you provide details.

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

Yes they are , but they are far enough apart that I can fertilize one without affecting the ithers

[@Randomguyonyoutube89]

@ do you think 5 ft from an avocado tree and 5 ft from soursop is far enough?

[@nicolassaarni88]

Phosphatic acetate

[@TropicalGardenGuy]

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