Tainung #1 F-1 Hybrid Papaya

This is a Tainung #1 Papaya, from Taiwan that I planted from seed on 9/19/09. It begins to fruit at only 4 to 5 feet tall, and produces fruit in the first year from seed. It produces all three flowers; male, female and bi-sexual flowers.



It started getting pretty cold with temps in the low 50's and papayas don't like the cold so I put this soda bottle over it yesterday to act as a greenhouse which will hopefully retain some heat. I'm not sure what size it should be right now but it seems kind of small after two months. I don't think autumn was the best time of year to plant a cold "hating" tree. I have a few more seeds that I'll plant in the spring and see if they do any better.