Experience showed that papaya grows best in light and well-dried soils. It should be rich in organic matter for the plant to grow faster. There are some limitation.They do not grow well on certain clay soil which lack of good aeration and are poorly drained with water. Those papaya grown in that kind of soil become spindly and stunted, and produce less fruits during the duration of their fruiting season. Sub-soiling is necessary. Papaya will grow on any type of soil as long as this is not poorly drained or does not easily dry up during hot season.
The soil must have a good supply of available nutrients. This nutrients is important for their growth and development. Papaya can grow best on soils with pH ranging from 5.6 to 7.0.
Papaya is a tropical fruit crop. It prefers warm areas with abundant rainfall or good irrigation. An average daily temperature ranging from 21' to 33'C is ideal for robust growth. It can tolerate higher temperatures. The soil should have adequate moisture. In cool weather condition it reduces growth and yield. further, it can affect its fruit flavor. Too much coolness and humid nights can cause the fruits to mature slowly and even has low quality fruits.
In order to provide suitable soil condition, thoroughly prepared the area to be planted with papaya. Clean the field, plow and harrow alternately two or three times to kill the weeds and provides good internal drainage. Plant at distances ranging from two to three meters, depending on the variety. This is to avoid close concentration of each tree.
It can be planted by direct seeding in the field. Place five or more seeds in each hole. Cover with one fourth inch of soil. If you sow fresh seeds, it will germinate 10 to 14 days after planting. Seeds germinate better and faster by removing the gelatinous envelopes surrounding them. You can use your fingers. It can be done easily.
Do the thinning of the seedlings planted directly in the field four to six weeks after emergence. Leave only three of the strongest seedlings in each hole. Save the plants that are spaced far enough from one another. The purpose is to avoid overcrowding hampering its growth.
Do the second and final thinning in the field when flowers appear. This is usually four to six months after seed germination. At this stage, leave only three trees to the planting hole. This is the ideal thinning method.
Establish a windbreaks. It is necessary in areas where strong winds prevail. It can control damages to the full grown trees. Space the strips of windbreaks at a distance of 21 to 29 times the height of windbreaks trees. If the winds come in different directions and angles, it is necessary to have windbreaks half as close.
to the trees. A good windbreak is not necessarily a solid wall against the wind. A permeable windbreaks allows some of the air to pass through.
Application of fertilizer starts at seed planting or seedling transplanting in the field. Mix a handful (five to 10 grams) of a complete fertilizer (14-14-14) with the soil at the bottom of each hole before planting. As the papaya seedling grows larger, apply more fertilizer. Apply 60 grams of ammonium sulfate as soon as the plants are well established especially when it shows new growth. Apply the same amount at six-week intervals until the plants are one year old. Thereafter, apply 225 grams of ammonium sulfate to each plant every three months. Apply 450 grams of super phosphate per plant at the start of the rainy season each year. If this application done strictly, it can protect the plants from undergrowth that will affect its good fruiting ability.
Doing weed control by the use of mechanical and chemical means is advisable when the papaya plants are less than one-and-a-half meters in height. Use a hand weeding about one meter around the base of the trunk.
Among the most common pests are red spider mites and fruit fly. Control it with chemicals. To prevent fruit fly, harvest fruits at the mature green stage. The common disease are fruit rot, blossom-end spot. It can be controlled by spraying chemicals. Burn all infected fruits and leaves as soon as the disease is noted.
Handle the fruits properly during the harvesting period and during packing. Remove infected fruits to prevent contaminating the rest. Apply proper fungicides.
Fruits are ready for harvesting when it shows a definite yellow-orange tinge in the apex of blossom-end regions of the plant. It is advisable to pick the fruits when they are still in the firm, semi ripe state to avoid more damages. Use cottom gloves when harvesting so as to lessen thumb and fingers bruising. Harvest by twisting the fruit until its stalks snaps off the plant.
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