Yes, you can easily grow papaya from seeds of a store bought papaya. I would just plant them in a well-draining soil and be sure to supply some source of bottom heat. You do NOT have to take the gelatinous coating off of the seeds, or let the seeds dry out. Of course, this time of year, I would just leave them outside in a sunny spot and keep moist (but not wet). They may be slow to begin to germinate but then do grow faster. Mine is growing like crazy this year. PS. If you plant a bunch of them in one pot, you can easily transplant them--they look fragile as seedlings but really transplant well. Good luck!

Thanks so much. I guess I will pot them up and wait! I have been eating papaya all my life but I guess I always thought they only grew in tropical climates. I am fairly new to gardening so when I saw all those sprouts in the fruit which I have never seen in a fruit by the way....at least not a papaya I got all excited at the prospect of growing my own.....so in my zone its okay to transplant in the ground outside? Off to the Texas board I go :-) Thanks again!

Definitely do NOT plant in the ground in central Texas. In the US, they are winter hardy in the ground in South Florida (probably South Texas too). I take my papaya inside once temperatures start getting down into the 40's in the evening on a regular basis (so they are basically indoors by early November for me.) They are not too difficult to overwinter--I had mine under flourescent lights in the basement (where it's humid).