Kauai Sunrise Papaya
Papaya carica
Non-GMO Papaya seed grown on Molokai. The Kauai Sunrise is the original Sunrise papaya, first commercialized and grown in Moloa'a, Kauai. The Moloa’a strain was selected for short branches and well spaced fruit to plant closer together in a production system. Papaya thrives in warm, humid conditions and performs best in well-drained sandy loam soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Papaya is a useful crop in agroforestry systems as a 3-year mid-sized crop, creating biomass and building habitat while producing a versatile edible crop.
Cultivation: Papaya can be slow to germinate and benefits from soaking overnight before planting. Additionally, adding compost to potting soil mix helps to support strong germination. Either direct seed or plant individual seeds in 2" cells or 2 seeds in 4" cells. Use a well balanced and well drained soil with a pH close to 6. Allow starts to dry out in between waterings, they do not like waterlogged soil.
Transplant 3 seedlings about 6-9 inches apart in rows followed by a 8' space between next transplanting. At first flowering determine sex of tree by examining flowers and cull the females and males, selecting one hermaphrodite plant every 8 feet. Papaya requires wind protection and needs good air circulation to minimize fungus issues such as powdery mildew, black spot and anthracnose.
To learn more about identifying gender of flowers, read this helpful paper by CTAHR.
Seeds grown on Molokai
20 seeds per packet