RE: [compost_tea] Papaya latex

From: John Cowan <vivax_at_northlink.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2004 10:41:43 -0700

Why not set up some plants in 1 or 5 gallon pots with little bits of papaya
skin in the soil? Of course, have some controls without the papaya. See what
happens! In a few weeks with fast growing plants it should be evident if
there is a problem. This will probably convince your friend better than
somebody just saying it is so. Maybe the peeling could be composted somehow
to nullify any negative effect.

John Cowan
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Gerardo Sanchez [mailto:gersanch_at_yahoo.com]
  Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 10:12 AM
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Subject: [compost_tea] Papaya latex


  Dear list members:

  When I received Jeff Lowenfel´s workshop in Costa Rica, I remember he was
very concerned about using the "jelly" inside "Aloe vera" leaves to use in
the tea, but not about the covering or rind of those same leaves, since they
contained extraneous substances potentially dangerous for microorganisms in
the tea.

  A friend of mine has papaya trees (Carica papaya) in the tropical
Caribbean area of Costa Rica. He prepares some dishes with green papaya.
He peels the fruit and applies those residual peelings, full with papaya
latex, directly to the soil, expecting they act as a "natural" fertilizer.

  I think that the latex, which is corrosive and irritating for human skin,
may damage the soil. At least he should prepare some compost with the
peelings before applying it to the soil.

  However, I would like to know if somebody has any information that may
validate my conjectures about the effect of green papaya peelings (having
latex) on the soil eco-system.

  Gerardo Sánchez
  Costa Rica




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
  Do You Yahoo!?
   Todo lo que quieres saber de Estados Unidos, América Latina y el resto
del Mundo.
  Visíta Yahoo! Noticias.

        Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
              ADVERTISEMENT





----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
  Yahoo! Groups Links

    a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/compost_tea/

    b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    compost_tea-unsubscribe_at_yahoogroups.com

    c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.





Received on Thu Jun 17 2004 - 15:18:23 EDT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Tue Feb 07 2012 - 14:15:23 EST