Friday, June 19, 2009

Thinking of papaya and its legacy

I try to simulate the way it should be, leaves will drop and given time will decompose just below the plant or trees. For papaya, the leaves are big with long stalks. In our plot, we cant just leave the dead leaves lying around, therefore we pick and place them around the papaya trunk.

When we do this, we are not too sure if papaya loves humus/compost of their own leaves. In trying to relate to plants and their needs, very often we make some generalisation, that they love mulch, compost or humus .... But would they take compost out of their own ... Just a thought.

The growth of our papaya is hindered with space constraint, 4 feet away from the side apron, and about the same distance from the drain. Their growth is worth watching . .... how three plants of the same age, grew and mature at a different time.

The one that is fruiting now is very tall. The other two are a lot shorter with no hint of flowering. The shorter ones, I have a feeling will just die off without a chance to bloom, bear fruits and produce their own seeds to perpetuate their legacy....

Now the whole responsibility is shouldered by the taller plant.......

the taller plant.
[june 2009]

the shorter ones
[december 2008]

the shorter ones
[june 2008]

the mulch
of its own leaves and stalks


how can I forget
the taste and the color.

Older post on papaya
1. Papaya ripening. jun 12, 2009
2. PAPAYA a survivor mac 20, 2009


16 comments:

  1. I LOVE papaya!!! Papaya and mango are my faves!

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  2. Hi Bangchik you beat me too it. I am hopeing to post about Papaya in a day or two but a different sort of story.

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  3. > Dirt Princess
    > islandgardener
    > Joanne

    Good Morning,

    Who doesnt love papaya.... the color and the taste. So we will visit joanne's blog soon to rekindle the love for papaya.

    Cheers,
    ~ bangchik

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  4. Hi Bangchik. Your papayas are looking healthy. They are very good for the digestion.

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  5. It is so interesting to read about plant that I'll never be able to grow. I don't think I've even ever purchased a papaya. They sure look good though..

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  6. Homegrown papaya is the best! Now that I don't live in 'kampung' anymore, I need to buy them either from supermarkets, wet markets or fruit stalls. But, they are so inconsistent in taste and texture. Some don't even ripe well and claim that they are organic. That fruit (last pix) looks very yummy... enjoy!

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  7. I have never seen a papaya tree before and yours look lovely! I have the same issues with things planted at the same time, maturing when they want to. Not when I want them to.

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  8. Your papaya in your photo looks soooo delicious! *o* -Sandy @ Gardening on Cloud 9

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  9. Congratulations! You really have done a good job. Now I feel like growing a papaya tree in my garden too. The last time I tried growing a papaya tree was 10 years ago. It turned out to be a male papaya plant that never bore any fruits. So, I gave up.

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  10. It always amazes me how plants of the same age can develop so differently from one another. The papaya looks gorgeous !

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  11. > Prospero
    > Beegirl
    > Stephanie

    Thanks for dropping by. Ripe papaya is always delicious looking!..... Our papaya is still strictly under organic diet... so we can call the juicy fruit as organically grown.

    ~ bangchik

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  12. > Heather
    > Sandy W

    To a certain extent, everything, plants, animals and us humans are unique and not a complete 100% duplicate of something or somebody else. So plants with seeds from the same tree, germinated in the same batch, yet there is no guarantee they are going to grow and flower at the same time..

    I am sure Sandy can grow papaya there too.

    ~ bangchik

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  13. > Autumn Belle
    > Clare B

    Male papaya is still useful. The flowers has been widely consumed as salad, with a slight bitter taste. We boil the flower first.

    There is this endless discussion on genetic factor versus growing environment .... to describe real differences in human character and intelect. Same thing with plants i guess...

    ~ bangchik

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  14. Great photos. I've never really liked the taste of ripe papaya, but I love green papaya salads.

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  15. > graduallygreener

    Yes, we too sometime treat green papaya as salad.... quite a taste.. very crunchy.

    ~ bangchik

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