Papaya is not only a delicious fruit but also a valuable remedy that helps people stay healthy. The technique of growing papaya is not difficult and can easily be applied to improve household income.
Guide to Growing Papaya
Papaya is a tropical fruit tree, widely cultivated in many places. Whether intercropped with perennial plants or grown in dedicated gardens, papaya yields very high productivity, and the cultivation technique is simple, enhancing the economic income of growers.
Season
The technique of growing papaya is not difficult and yields high productivity
Papaya can flower and bear fruit year-round, although there are seasons with little or no fruit. Therefore, to achieve high yields and beautiful fruit while minimizing pests and diseases, papaya can be planted in the following seasons:
- In irrigated areas, plant papaya during the rainy season (July – August).
- In areas with less reliable water supply (flood-affected areas), plant after the water has receded.
When planting, seedlings should be 20-30 days old.
Selecting Papaya Seeds
Select ripe fruits, cut off the tip and stem, and extract the seeds from the middle of the fruit. Place them in water and select black and sinking seeds, wash off the mucous coating, let them dry, and then sow immediately. The seeds will germinate evenly after 10-15 days. You may also sow two or three seeds in small pots to account for low germination rates or pest damage, or to thin out male plants.
Soil Preparation and Planting
The soil must be deeply plowed and finely tilled, forming raised beds 40-50 cm high compared to the drainage channels, with a spacing of 2-2.5 m between beds and 1.6-2 m wide (in lowland areas prone to flooding, the beds should be higher). All papaya roots must be removed from fields where papaya has been grown, and the soil should be left fallow for 1-2 months.
Proper care and timely fertilization are essential for papaya plants
Base Fertilization: Apply 1 ton of organic fertilizer and 0.3 kg of Bosat per sao (about 1,000 square meters). Dig planting holes of size 60x60x30 cm, spaced 2 m apart in the middle of the beds. Each sao should have 80-90 plants, ensuring that they are planted in straight lines both lengthwise and crosswise for easier support later. The organic fertilizer must be decomposed, and lime must be evenly mixed with the dug soil before planting the papaya.
Planting
Papaya plants do not tolerate iron toxicity, have shallow roots, and poorly withstand waterlogging; therefore, choose soil that is free from iron toxicity, loose, and well-drained. The main stem should be positioned at a slight angle to the prevailing wind to prevent deep rooting.
Planting Density: Typically, plant in a rectangular pattern with 1.5 to 2 m between plants and 2.5 to 3.0 m between rows to allow for easy care and harvesting.
Fertilization Methods
Base Fertilization
Apply 1-2 kg of organic fertilizer and 200 g of lime. For plants 1 month old after planting: 50 g of NPK 16-12-8-11+TE dissolved in 10 liters of water, applied weekly.
Plants 1-3 Months After Planting
The amount of fertilizer per plant: 50-100 g per application. Fertilize every 15-20 days.
Papaya fruit has many beauty and health benefits
Plants 3-7 Months After Planting
The amount of fertilizer per plant: 100-150 g of NPK 12-12-17-9+TE. Apply once a month. By the sixth month, an additional 1 kg of organic fertilizer HG01 and 100 g of lime can be added per plant, along with root mounding. Foliar fertilizers can also be applied. Spray every 3-4 weeks according to the recommended concentration.
Care
Watering
Papaya is a water-loving plant but is very susceptible to waterlogging. Therefore, it is essential to provide enough water during dry seasons and ensure good drainage during rainy seasons or in the event of flooding.
Weeding
Weeds compete for nutrients and provide shelter for pests. Regular weeding around the base is necessary.
Mulching
Use straw or dry grass to cover the base during dry seasons to retain moisture and maintain suitable temperatures for the plants.
Pest Control
During growth, papaya is often affected by pests such as aphids, leafhoppers, and spider mites. When pest density is high, treatments such as Decis 2.5 ND (0.1% concentration) or Trebon (1%) can be applied for control.
To prevent viral diseases like leaf curl, integrated preventative measures should be implemented, including: using disease-resistant varieties, balanced NPK fertilization, and avoiding consecutive papaya seasons on the same land.
Rotational cropping with aquatic plants is recommended. For diseases like yellow spot, powdery mildew, and anthracnose, early treatment is crucial when symptoms first appear, using products like Daconil, Topsin, or Zineb and Mancozeb for spraying.
Harvesting
Harvesting can occur when the fruit reaches maximum size and begins to ripen. Look for signs such as the skin becoming slightly yellow at the top (known as “papaya skin”) and the latex from the plant becoming clearer. Harvest should be done on dry days, as the skin of ripe fruit is often soft and easily bruised. At temperatures of 8-12°C, ripe fruit can be stored for about 3 weeks.
Benefits of Papaya
A cup of papaya contains the following nutritional components:
2.5 g of fiber
264 mg of potassium
88.3 mg of vitamin C
54 µg of folate
30 mg of magnesium
0.068 mg of vitamin A
Papaya offers many benefits such as:
- Rich in antioxidants
- Low in sugar
- Low calorie content
- Prevents age-related macular degeneration
- Helps prevent asthma; nutritional benefits of papaya you should know
- May help prevent cancer
- Enhances bone health
- Improves diabetes management
- Aids in digestion
- Helps prevent cardiovascular diseases
- Reduces inflammation
- Assists in healing external wounds
