Holland Papaya 10. Seeds, Papaya Fruit Seeds, Thai Plant Garden, Sweet Flesh

Descriptions:
1. This papaya has a single stem averaging about 3 meters (9ft) tall.
2. Spiraling leaves confined to the top of the trunk allow the fruit that average at about 1 1/2 ft (18 inches) long to embellish the thick stem starting at less than a foot from the ground.
3. Plumeria-like flowers on the axils of the leaves, mature into the large fruit that is ripe when it feels as soft as a ripe avocado or a bit softer and an amber hue adorns the previously green skin.
4. Stem and bark may be used in rope production.
5. Standing water will kill the plant in a day so it is important to keep the soil well drained.

Health Benefits:
1. Rich in papain, a protease used for tenderizing meat, the green fruit and the tree's latex are also cooking aids used for thousands of years by indigenous Americans. It is now a component in powdered meat tenderizers.
2. Rich in provitamin A carotenoids, vitamin C, folate and dietary fiber, a variety of phytochemicals, including lycopene and polyphenols, ripe fruit are enjoyed raw, without skin or seeds. The unripe green fruit and young leaves are favored in curries, salads, stews, and steamed vegetable. The black seeds have a sharp, spicy taste and are ground and used as a substitute for black pepper.
3. Leaves can be made into tea as a treatment for malaria. In belief that it can raise platelet levels in blood, the papaya may be used as a medicine for dengue fever. It is marketed in tablet form to remedy digestive problems. Papain is also applied topically for the treatment of cuts, rashes, stings and burns. Papain ointment is commonly made from fermented papaya flesh, and is applied as a gel-like paste.
4. Protect against Colon Cancer.

How to Plant:
1. Mix the seeds, with a handful of peat moss.
2. Spread the mix evenly over a tray containing 3 to 4 inches of a good planting mix.
3. Cover that with ½ inch of the same mix. Cover with Cling Film until they break the surface, keep the soil medium damp not wet.
4. Sprouting takes from 15 days to six weeks or longer for some strange reason. Bottom heat always helps.
5. Pick the seedlings out when they are about 2 inches tall and transplant into 4-inch containers in a potting soil that is drained well. You will lose a few to damping off.
6. Don’t plant in the ground until the soil temperature is at least 55 degrees F; 70 F is better.
7. Papayas like to be warm with both sunshine and reflected heat, so the hottest place against the house where nothing else seems happy is an ideal location. They also like to be as free from wind as possible, although this is not as critical as their need for sun.
8. Papayas can be grown successfully in the shade, but the fruit is rarely as sweet. They are best planted in mounds or against the foundation of a building where wind can be controlled. FULL SUN IS BEST.