Need advise/help on my papaya plants please

[bluenkimchi]

I know that this is probably not the right place to post about tropical plants, but it's an herb and related to gardening. So i just got a Tr Hovey papaya from Florida hill Nursery, it's still small so I will keep it in a pot for now but I want to transplant it later into the ground. I live in Fresno,Ca z9b, Can this plant thrive in this climate during winter? The temps gets about mid 20's-30's and gets occasional frost every now and then. Is it better to keep it in a pot and just keep it in the garage in winter or is it ok to be in ground outside with some protection? Sorry I forgot to mention that this is a dwarf variety that will only get about 5'-8' but smaller if potted. Any one with papaya experience that can give some advice please help?

 

[Oregon Blues]

My best guess is that you will have to bring it inside for the winter. I don;t think papaya will tolerate frost and it can occasionally get darn cold in Fresno.

 

[ZooSD]

I have a papaya plant that was given to me by a neighbor and it resides in a half oak barrel at the edge of my patio which is the warmest/sunniest place in my yard during the winter. I've left it outside and just watch the temps. When I thought it would get too cold I covered it at night. I live in San Diego county and our temps get into the high 20's low 30's, not as often as they do in Fresno though. I've read that some of them tolerate 20 degree weather but I think last year it only got that cold here twice.

 

[bluenkimchi]

Thanks for the advice, I will just keep it in a large pot and provide protection during winter months if I leave it outside or just bring it in the garage. I know San Diego temp is a lot warmer than Fresno weather, maybe if the fruit don't ripen in time I will just make green papaya salad, how I just love them. This is off topic but have you read an article in the Los Angles times about a Hmong farmer that grows quite a variety of exotic fruits in Fresno. I'm surprise he can grow mango, papaya, several type of never before seen guava from Thailand and many other fruits. here's a link to the article http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/14/local/la-me-hmong-farmer-20111114

 

[flgardengirl]

Try to keep it a little on the dry side during the winter months papayas hate cold wet feet in the winter and may rot. I have several papayas, cacao, bananas, starfruit, longan and lots of other tropical trees and plants. I am in a zn 9a and we get some freezing temps once in a while even though we are fairly close to the coast. I put up a makeshift greenhouse (a couple of 10x20 carports) during the winter months to stick the more tropical stuff into. I have an Raja Puri banana plant with bananas on it that I am hoping I can dig up and get into the greenhouse this winter. The bananas are only about half the size they should be right now and it will prob. freeze in December. Luckily, the plant is under 10ft so I think I can dig it up and leave the banana bunch on.