papaya trees

Hi there, Cabo Verde / Cape Verde here. We are having problems with our papaya trees. Getting slimmer and slimmer topwards, and crown leaves getting smaller and smaller. And finally they drop down. Rumor has it, here on our island, that it's a disease. Anybody here on the forum with words of wisdom?

Hello there!  I am in central Florida and know what you are referring to. The good news is you are not dealing with disease.  Papayas are semi-herbaceous plants, not trees, and their life span is not that long.  My female and hermaphrodite trees last about 3 years.  I have males that are working on their 6th year.  When the plants' lives are nearing the end, they will begin to get smaller at the top and the leaves smaller.  Usually within a few months of noticing the top of the plant getting smaller, the plant will die.  .....which is another nice thing about papayas producing so many seeds....plenty to plant.....8 )

Thanks for your answer. So you're saying we are just lucky with some females who are growing and producing over 7 years... The shitty thing is, that the new papayas we put over the years, don't seem to be as enthusiastic as the first ones. But maybe that's because of the draughts we have been suffering here, the last 4 years?

I also have seen this. For us, usually the trees get stunted by cold weather (then branch out, get spindly, etc). At a certain point the tree just decides it`s done, and it rots/falls in the space of a week. Usually by that time, though, I've noticed a new tree or two that are starting somewhere else in the yard.
Get some fruit or new seeds, and get some new ones going!! Papayas generally do pretty well in dry conditions here (Brazil) so I would not be too concerned once the plant is established.

Marijke Katsburg wrote:Thanks for your answer. So you're saying we are just lucky with some females who are growing and producing over 7 years... The shitty thing is, that the new papayas we put over the years, don't seem to be as enthusiastic as the first ones. But maybe that's because of the draughts we have been suffering here, the last 4 years?

From my experience.....yup...lucky.  Your shorter lifespans may be due to less water (papayas LOOOOOOVE them some water) or if you are growing out seeds from your older plants, then there may be some cross pollination that is giving shorter lifespans....or a combination of those things.

We're in our dry season here and walking in my food forest today, I found that I lost 2 papaya plants that were doing well a couple of weeks ago.  I also don't have the fruit production I did this time last year.  However, this time last year we had more rain.  Papayas are like bananas....the want water and food and warmth with a side of water and food and warmth.  ...speaking of bananas, those aren't growing and producing like they should either with the dry weather.