Paw Paw

mattpatt

Well-Known Member
Anyone have access to a few Paw Paw seeds they’d be willing to share?

Thanks
Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Anyone have access to a few Paw Paw seeds they’d be willing to share?

Thanks
Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I grew Pawpaw from seed. They're slow growers and the seeds are a little trickier to germinate. I'd suggest buying seedlings if you can find them, unless you're dead set on starting your own. We got some free from the Ten Million Trees project that looked great. Included tubes and stakes too!
 
I grew Pawpaw from seed. They're slow growers and the seeds are a little trickier to germinate. I'd suggest buying seedlings if you can find them, unless you're dead set on starting your own. We got some free from the Ten Million Trees project that looked great. Included tubes and stakes too!

Since posting this I actually found someone local that had a few. I did not realize there were any Paw Paw around here and when asked where his source was he wouldn’t tell me. Apparently folks guard the location of their Paw Paw patches like it’s some big secret national secret or something. Who knew. The seeds remind me a lot of a persimmon seed only bigger. Has a membrane around the outside the you have to clean off. I may go ahead and spend the money on a couple of seedlings but dang they’re expensive.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Since posting this I actually found someone local that had a few. I did not realize there were any Paw Paw around here and when asked where his source was he wouldn’t tell me. Apparently folks guard the location of their Paw Paw patches like it’s some big secret national secret or something. Who knew. The seeds remind me a lot of a persimmon seed only bigger. Has a membrane around the outside the you have to clean off. I may go ahead and spend the money on a couple of seedlings but dang they’re expensive.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MDC has/had some pretty cheap.
 
I've been growing paw paw for several years. They are just about everywhere on my property. I give them the same winter treatment as the chestnuts I grow but they take a lot longer to germinate in spring. First year, I get 12" growth, then they jump to 4-5' the second (potted up to 3g root pouches after a year in 1g).

Once I collect my seeds, I put damp long leaf sphagnum in a clear plastic shoebox about 3" deep. Place the seeds on this, then put another 1-2" layer of damp sphagnum on top. Add the lid and put in the fridge for the winter. I move the box to a sunny window in February and wait for germination. Unlike chestnuts (which I pot at first sign of radical), I let paw paw sprout and grow in the box. They often take until May/June to show much growth, but patience gets a high % to sprout. Once they get decent size, I'll gently untangle them and pot directly to 1 gal.
 
I grew them for a few years. I bought the seed from Cliff England at England's nursery. I cold stratified them and started them in the winter under lights in 18s just like chestnuts. I found bottom heat under the 18s significantly speed germination.

Pawpaw's are very sensitive to light in the first couple years, but produce the most fruit in full sun. This makes them ideal for containers. I put mine on a lower deck that is shaded for the first two growing seasons before transplanting them to the field in full sun. They seem to be quite slow in producing fruit.
 
Light sensitivity makes sense. They are one of the dominant understory trees in my woods. But I've always grown them in full sun in my grow-out area. Maybe they would grow faster if I shaded them some...

I don't really do much with them. Occasionally I'll have a friend interested in them, but I cut back on growing them this year. Maybe a dozen or so.
 
Back
Top