Hi Jane I used to grow them in Townsville and I just washed the seeds and let them dry out then planted them at the right time of the year. Do look at the link before so much info from the Qld.DPI it should help.
Cheers MM.

Here is a link that might be useful: Papaya in the Home garden.

Thanks MM
After reading the link you posted I realise that I probably don't have the space for 2 trees( male and female) and probably not the patience either.... 2-3 years before I get fruit!
I am the type who sows seeds and then if I don't get something sprouting within a week or 2 I throw somwe other seeds in as well! And plus I want to eat everything I grow NOW

g'day jane,

your best bet is to buy 1 red papaya tree and grow that, if you try to get a viable pair from those common yellow ones you are going to need to plant a lot of seeds and then wait until the trees mature enough to flower to see how many female trees you get from a planting, i've planted 100's of seeds over the past 4 years just to end up with app' 5 female trees and lots and lots of male trees. but then i have the room to do it.

also don't buy one of those bi-sexual yellow pawpaw trees i bought one for a small garden and ended up with a male and when i went back the the nursery and complained they checked with the supplier who said they can only guarantee app' 20% of trees will me female or truely bi-sexual.

so my research says the red ones are the way to go they are apparently all naturally bi-sexual.

we just wash off the seed and dry and plant, they won't germinate if the ground temp isn't warm enough they are a bit finnacky like that.

len

mail len

lens garden page

Thanks Len.
I like the red ones better anyway. So that's a bonus all round. How warm should the ground be before I try planting? Should I wait (here in Sydney) until summer is in full swing?

g'day jane,

lots of variables jane it could depend a lot on the aspect of your garden or land etc.,. but generally i would be thinking into summer at least before putting seeds in the ground, unless you can tray plant and bottom warm the trays this will increase your growing season in the first season.

they are not frost tollerant at all until about 2.5 meters high, and plant on the warmest side of your yard ie.,. north facing to east facing.

unless you already have seeds think about buying a seedling tree that will give you a head start. they can be planted fairly close together you may find you have room for 2 even.

len

Jane, I have grown papaya from seed twice. Both times the trees are at fruiting size in 12-18 months. They grow very quickly and are not frost tollerant AT ALL. Also, If grown in an area where they don't get year round heat they taste repulsive. A good papaya tastes VERY VERY GOOD. A bad papaya tastes VERY VERY BAD. A tropical papaya is often confused with the American Pawpaw. The pawpaw is both frost tollerant and pleasant tasting when grown in a cooler climate.

Thanks Len and "wicky" for heaps of advice.
I don't get frost... I don't think. Not that it has been really cold enough in Sydney to say yet. I got a couple of very light frosts last year in a different suburb, however my new back yard is much more closed in and certainly alot hotter, even at the moment.
I have changed my mind again, and I'm gunna try planting a tree. But I think I'll take Len's suggetsion and buy a seedling.