payaya fruit still not turning yellow and...

[emorata]

its been more than two months...any ideas from anyone on why its taking this long for the fruit to mature?

Noel Morata
Check out my blog on puna at http://noelmorata.blogspot.com/

[StillHope]

It's on strike[]

[Devany]

Noel, you can make some green papaya salad! Actually Liz and Mike or Carey can probably answer your questions. I spoke to Liz and Mike at the dinner about papayas at length, they know a lot. And then as you know, Carey seems to know EVERYTHING! She is totally my "GO TO GIRL"when I have any questions.

Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

[asly]

Are papayas best if left on the tree to ripen, or can they be picked and left to ripen on the counter? Or can you speed the ripening by putting them on a paper bag like you can with some other fruits?

[Carey]

Not the 'Go To' on this one, actually Noel & I started out this quest with the realization that neither of us had ripening papaya (& I did make green papaya salad, but just not the same in the morning ;~)

If the papaya has a slight yellow blush, it can be picked & left to ripen (in a bag or on the counter). In fact, that is when most farmers here pick them (you can see trucks full of green papaya with just a blush of color all around Puna, most of the time) But mine are stuck on solid GREEnN. I have a newer crop of trees, as my everbearing monster tree blew down in the winds last spring (the thing had multiple branches that were all thick with fruit)

[emorata]

i usually like to pick my fruit close to ripening stage and let it sit on the counter a day or so and then the fridge so i get cold fruit or cold enough for smoothies...

Noel Morata
Check out my blog on puna at http://noelmorata.blogspot.com/

[asly]

So, do you think (Carey and Noel) that both your papayas are stuck at green because they are young trees?

[janeadams]

Noel,

We got a papaya variety about a year or so ago that is quite different in its ripening habits. It sits on the tree forever (like months), completely green. Finally, a twinge of yellow, so we pick it. Nice thing is that it doesn't get the rot spots like some of the others. However, it can get completely yellow on the counter, and *still* be unripe inside. It's an older variety, called Ruby Star. Nice taste, and we appreciate the lack of rot! Don't know if this helps, but it really is a different ripening habit.

Jane

[Devany]

Jane, that sounds like a good variety. Where did you find it? How do you know when it is ready to eat if you cannot tell by color?

I have experienced "spot rot" problems with some I buy at the farmer's market, usually the strawberry variety, sometimes rainbow. I did plant trees a few months ago so it will be a long time before I have any fruit. One person told me 18 months and someone else told me 2 years.

However, I have a saying, "Nothing is cheap in Hawaii... except papayas."



Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

[janeadams]

We got it as an auction plant at our Vireya club meeting. We tell its ripe by feel, rather than color. We're at 1000' elevation, so finding one that doesn't rot is a real plus.

We have a few seeds to share, so if you're interested, we're open to the public tomorrow as all Saturdays, 9-2. Map on our website:

www.whitecloudnursery.com

Jane