How to grow a papaya tree from the seed of a store-bought fruit
Among all tropical fruits, one of the most popular is the delicious papaya. Although it is true that this plant is a bit demanding, with some help you will be able to grow it yourself in your garden or in a pot. What’s more, papayas grow so fast that you will have a mini tree in less than 2 months! But first, you have to learn how to plant and grow papaya from seed. In this article, we will explain the step-by-step process of growing a papaya plant. And with some love and patience, pretty soon you might be able to enjoy this delicious tropical fruit from your own harvest! So, take a trip to the store to find the best papaya for you to plant! And, follow this papaya growing guide for the instructions!
Let’s see how you can grow your very own papaya plant
Where can you grow a papaya plant?
You can plant papaya in a pot or in the ground in your garden! In this article, we will focus on planting papaya in a pot. If you want to grow one in your garden, just follow the same instructions and repot the papaya outside in your garden when it is strong enough! Of course, we must keep in mind that some varieties of these plants can reach quite tall heights. Therefore, if we want to grow this fruit as an indoor plant in a pot, it is best to choose a dwarf papaya fruit. Its fruits are just as rich and delicious, although this papaya variation produces a smaller tree, perfect for indoor spaces.
Here you can see every element of a grown papaya tree
All you need for now is a delicious papaya fruit and some patience
Tip: If you are a fan of exotic fruits and not afraid of a challenge, you can also see how you can grow your very own pineapple plant! The process is super easy since there are only 4 steps!
This is what traditional, mature papaya trees look like
How to grow papaya from seed
The most basic thing about planting papaya is buying the seeds. You can purchase those from a shop or better yet from a papaya you have just bought and eaten. Look for the perfect papaya fruit, one that is not overripe or damaged. Then just follow the following instructions:
Choose the healthiest and tastiest looking papaya
Step-by-step instructions
- Disinfect the seeds with a fungicide. This will increase their chances of survival and producing a healthy plant.
- Prepare the pot or container. An ideal mix would be coco coir with peat and earthworm humus. Perlite can be added to improve the drainage of the soil.
- Prepare the seeds: Let the seeds dry for 24 hours. When you go to plant them, you can squeeze them gently until their bag breaks. This will make it easier for them to sprout. Then you should sow them in the pots or in the containers at a depth of approximately one centimeter. A distance of five centimeters should be left between the seeds.
- Place the container somewhere where it will get of sun. Turn the pot or container occasionally so that all the corners get good natural light.
- Water frequently, but without flooding the substrate.
- After a month, you can select the seedlings you want to keep. They should look strong and healthy.
- Transplant the seedlings when they reach a suitable size. There should be no more than one plant in each pot. When you do the transplanting, you have to be very careful with the roots as they are very delicate.
- Once two weeks have passed since transplanting, it is necessary to provide fertilizer to the papaya trees. We suggest making your own organic plant fertilizer at home with basic ingredients like eggshells, bananas, and more.
Choose a smaller container to start the process
As the papaya grows, make sure to repot it into larger pots
Very soon your papaya plant will have big, beautiful leaves
And voilà, you now have a big papaya tree!
When the plant reaches maturity, it can produce fruit
Watch this video to see the process from papaya seed to 60-day old tree:
How long does it take to grow papaya from seed?
The truth is that this tree will be big and high in a short time, as it reaches maturity in less than a year. The same does not go for other plants, like growing an avocado tree or planting a mango tree from seed! They usually take a lot more time to grow and develop. Generally, the first papaya fruits will appear ten months after planting. Male papayas are the least recommended as they do not bear fruit. They only serve to pollinate female papayas. However, hermaphrodite papayas (which are usually the ones bought from a supermarket) are able to self-pollinate, which is much more practical.
Grafting your papaya tree will make it stronger and thicker
Watch this video to see how to propagate and graft your papaya plant:
Growing these tropical fruits is not only good for your health, but it can also be very satisfying to care for. This is one of the coolest and most unusual indoor plants you can have in your home, so give it a try!
Now you can plant your own papaya tree!
