Q:I have several papayas in my yard, but can't harvest any fruits because they either drop off prematurely or are filled with little maggot-like larvae.

D.L.,

North Miami

A: It's the papaya fruit fly causing the problems and there is no insecticide to control it. The female fly inserts her ''stinger'' to lay the eggs deep inside the fruit and therefore out of reach of pesticides. This stinger is really an egg-laying tube and gives this insect the appearance of a wasp.

Trap adult flies by hanging green Styrofoam balls with a sticky coating or petroleum jelly close to the small fruit. You could also try placing brown paper bags around each small fruit and tying the top of the bag so the fruit fly won't be able to enter.

Q: I want to learn more about vegetable gardening. What are some good sources of information for South Florida?

C.B., Miami Lakes

A: The University of Florida has several websites about growing vegetables. Visit the UF/Miami-Dade County Extension website for a direct link to gardening videos, fact sheets and publications: http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/ Click on the photo ''vegetable gardening.'' Also look on the publications page. The link is at the top of the home page.

You can also call your local County Extension office for gardening advice. (In Broward, 954-370-3725; Miami-Dade, 305-248-3311; Monroe, 305-292-4501; Palm Beach, 561-233-1712).

Libraries and bookstores, including the UF Extension bookstore (http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu), have books on Florida gardening. Books written for other parts of the United States are helpful, but South Florida's vegetable season starts in October and is finished by April or May. However, you can grow tropical vegetables during the summer.

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