Step-by-step cultivation of papaya from seeds at home: advice from experienced specialists
Nowadays, you will not surprise anyone with exotic plants that decorate houses. Therefore, growing papaya from seeds at home has become commonplace for many. This tropical plant is distinguished by luscious greenery and unusual melon-like fruits. In its natural environment, it reaches 10 m in height. However, a papaya grown in pots has a maximum growth of about 6 m. What is this plant?
Graceful Tropicana in the Northern Hemisphere
Papaya is widely used in cooking because it contains many vitamins and minerals.
There are different types of papaya that differ in their sex. As a rule, male trees pollinate the inflorescences, while female trees bear fruit. Ripe fruits are yellow or amber in color, and the flesh is reddish. Inside the fruit are black seeds, of which there are from 300 to 600 pieces. Interestingly, the plant is able to change its gender if the top is cut off. This sometimes happens when the room temperature is high for a long time.
Papaya fruit is a dietary product, so it is advisable to include them in the diet of obese people.
Growing papaya from seeds at home: the subtleties of an exciting lesson
Melon tree adorns indoor terraces in summer cottages, heated balconies and living quarters everywhere. However, it takes a lot of skill to grow it. In addition, you must carefully follow the rules of planting and caring for the plant. Let us consider in detail how competent cultivation of papaya from seeds is carried out at home.
Preparation of planting material
The main condition for the successful cultivation of the melon tree is the seeds extracted from the ripe fruit. In addition, it must be free of rot and external damage.
The preparation of planting material includes the following actions:
- the fruit is cut in half;
- carefully pick the seeds with your hands or a tablespoon;
- choose the best specimens;
- washed under running water;
- laid out on a blank sheet of paper.
The papaya seeds are dried for about 24 hours, after which the damaged seeds are sorted out again and discarded. Then they are placed in sand or moss, covered with foil and wait 2 days. If you have at hand growth promoter, you can soak the seeds in it for the same period of time. When the seeds germinate, they are sown in the soil.
The best time to grow papaya at home from seeds is early spring, when daylight hours increase.
This will give the plant enough light. If you plant a melon tree in late fall or winter, you will need to provide the plant with additional lighting.Otherwise, the culture will be sick, which will affect its shoots and leaf plates.
Planting an exotic tree
In the northern hemisphere, the only way to grow papaya is at home in a pot, where they create "tropical" conditions for it. In order for the tree to take root in new conditions, it is periodically transplanted. As soon as the root system completely fills the container, the plant is placed in a new pot. Planting is carried out together with an earthen clod.
However, it all starts with a banal sowing of seeds in a prepared substrate, which includes:
- peat;
- sand;
- turf;
- land from the garden or garden.
You can also use a commercial mixture intended for ficus. However, 2 parts of sand should be added to it. For the plant to take root, it is important to know how to plant the papaya correctly, and create comfortable conditions for it to grow.
There are several basic rules:
- choose containers with a diameter of about 100 mm;
- fill them with prepared soil;
- sprouted seeds are placed at a depth of 20 mm;
- cover containers with film or plastic containers.
To prevent the plant from suffocating, airing is done every day. The cover is removed for about 20 minutes, after which the mini-greenhouse is mounted again. After 10 days, young shoots appear. When they get stronger, they are transplanted into new, more voluminous dishes.
Grown papaya in a pot, which is no more than 2 years old, is propagated by cuttings.
Melon tree care secrets
Everyone knows that without proper care, only weeds grow by the road. However, this is only at first glance. After all, the plants are regularly watered by rain and they have enough sunlight. Therefore, in order to grow papaya in a greenhouse or at home, a number of requirements must be met.
Shine
The birthplace of papaya is the tropics, where there is always an abundance of moisture and light. Therefore, the plant is placed next to large windows. Since it always stretches towards the light, it is often turned over in different directions towards the window. In the summer, papaya is taken outside or on the balcony.
Comfortable living environment
To successfully grow papaya from seeds at home, it is important to constantly monitor the temperature. High rates practically do not affect the development of the melon tree. The minimum temperature level ranges from 18 to 24 ° C. If in the summer the leaf plates of the plant wilted, abundant moisture will return them to a fresh look.
Watering
Due to the fact that the melon tree has huge leaves, it quickly loses moisture. To replenish the fluid supply, the plant is regularly watered. However, they do it in small portions. Air humidity is created using a spray. So that excess water does not lead to decay of the root system of the plant, drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot. In the cold season, watering is carried out as the topsoil dries out.
Top dressing
If you carefully observe how the papaya grows, you will notice that without proper feeding it is sick. 14 days after the first transplant, the soil must be fertilized. There are many preparations for feeding tropical crops. According to the instructions on the package, the plant is fed once every 2 weeks. In addition, papaya responds wonderfully to humus or manure.
During the flowering period of the crop, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are used. To stimulate the growth of the tree, nitrogen fertilization is suitable. Sometimes they use a special mulch made from fine grass. This decking mimics the topsoil found in tropical rainforests.
Natural enemies of the plant
Despite diligent care of the plant, it can suffer from parasites. They usually appear unnoticed, gradually harming the culture. The most dangerous of them is the spider mite. Its presence is indicated by colorless small dots on the leaf plates. If nothing is done, over time, the parasite's web will completely envelop the papaya.Destroy the pest with decoctions of garlic or onions, which are prepared on their own.