Absolutely - bag 'em.:) I use a square of nylon stocking and a twist tie. The pod will begin to look a little more dry and begin to split along the 'seam' when the seeds are ripe. I think it must be early to start watching for ripe seed - here where our Spring is always cool (coastal Washington) I can still be harvesting seeds in late June. Here is a link that might be useful:

Hi Laura, I have a couple of papaya trees also. I think you have to wait till you see a little bit of color (yellows/reds) depending on variety on the skin. Once you see some color on at least 1/3 of the plant's skin, you can pick it and let it ripen on your counter or pantry. Also they will soften a little to touch, similar to Mango... If you pick it too soon(too green) it will not ripen and probably start to rot. At least this has been my experience with mine. Enjoy! Here is a link that might be useful:

The Marvel Stripe Zapotec are a very late season variety, when they appear mostly amber in color with a little red blushing is when they're ready to be plucked. You can try one that looks to fit that description and have a taste, then you should know if you need to leave the others on the vine a little longer or not. Corey

I bet a lot of us have mystery plants. I tried my best to keep everything labeled, but a few got by me. I overplanted anyway because I couldn't give enough away and certainly couldn't throw any away. I just found another GZ hiding in the back and it is quite soft and yellowish with the green stripes. Can't take credit for the picture, Mr. Google had it. Last year my plant didn't make it, so I finally got to taste one. I like them, do you? I think you are on target with the feel, but you will figure it out. I let them get soft at differing levels to see what I like best. Some of the blacks are difficult. I am watching and feeling a Paul Robeson now, because it its not a deep color but feels ripe. I touch and feel my tomatoes a lot......am I strange? ;) I have a yellow and a brown that I grew out from the market gourmet pack. I'll never know what the small yellow is, but it is the second year and it grows like heck. Tangy and prolific. Here a picture some of mine. Early girl or big boy, rosso bruno kumato, san marzano, brandywine, the mystery yellow, and sungold. The GZ is not there but they look just like the picture I linked previously. I also am growing striped german, a bicolor that I loved last year, and the paul robeson. I do have a better boy as well. Now that the heirlooms are coming the hybrid reds are getting frozen for sauce. They just don't compare. When I tasted my first brandywine the other day (last years plant didn't make it)I had a flashback of standing in my grandfather's garden with a shaker of salt and eating them right there warm from the sun. It was amazing. Enough now, I'll save the rest for my therapist. Enjoy, Karen