How long does it take for papaya trees to bear fruit?

Papaya tree fruiting after several years of planting

Papaya trees are often found near villages, in valleys, on hillsides, and in thickets. The plant is drought-resistant but not tolerant to humidity. It prefers slightly acidic soil. It is generally planted in spring from April to May. The main producing areas are Anhui, Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Henan and other places.

Papaya trees will not bear fruit until 3-4 years after planting, and will enter the peak fruit-bearing period after 4 years. Each tree can live for hundreds of years, and the fruits are ripe and available on the market between August and October each year.

Reasons why papaya trees do not bear fruit

The papaya tree can only form fruit after it blooms and the pistils are fertilized by the pollen from the stamens. However, on some papaya trees, only the stamens develop healthily, while the pistils have degenerated. Therefore, the tree can only provide pollen but cannot bear fruit.

Papaya tree planting technology and key points

1. Soil treatment

When sowing papaya tree seeds, it is best to choose loose, fertile soil, add an appropriate amount of river sand to it, plow it about 10 centimeters deep, expose it to the sun, and add some base fertilizer at the bottom of the pit.

2. Post-maintenance

After the papaya tree is planted, it needs to be fertilized in the spring and autumn every year, and two rounds of weeding and weeding should be carried out to pull out the weeds. In the winter, the soil should be cultivated to help the plant survive the winter better.