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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 15, 2011 8:42:09 GMT -5
I have some pawpaw seeds starting to germinate but here's the thing, they would be super borderline here for ripening and possibly for cold as well. I'm just trying them on a lark. They look pretty in pictures and if I got fruit once, woohoo!
I plan on growing them close to a black walnut grove if that added insult won't cause them to keel over. An alternative planting location would be in the middle of the tamarack / spruce planting that is turing into field as there's lots of open space. It does get sun but probably wouldn't get near enough solar input to ripen in our borderline / out of zone growing area.
Anyone want to give me advice/good wishes? Thankfully seeds are cheap.
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Post by wildseed57 on Mar 15, 2011 12:09:50 GMT -5
I have been thinking about getting a pair of them, but I'm hurting for space. PawPaws are pretty hardy, but I have not heard of them doing very well in Z4 but its worth the try I'm in Z5b-6a MO. and they grow well here, but surprisingly not to many people grow them here, at least I have only seen one tree near where I live it was a very nice tree, but the owners took it out and planted a Japanese Maple. I guess they didn't know that you really need two trees to get fruit. In the wild they are kind of understory trees and need protection Walnut trees don't like other trees to much in fact they don't like other walnuts that well and only the strongest survive. If i remember right they don't like being transplanted to much and you may need to give the roots some transplant booster when you decide to plant them in a permanent spot.
George W.
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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 15, 2011 12:37:34 GMT -5
I've heard that pawpaws are somewhat tolerant of black walnut but as they will already be stressed because they aren't in good growing conditions, I wasn't sure about putting them there though it is a sheltered spot.
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Post by wildseed57 on Mar 15, 2011 15:10:30 GMT -5
Depending on how many you have you could put sa pair or two near the Walnut tree and the rest somewhere else. If you have a area that gets lots of sunshine in the winter and a bit more shade in the summer months, you could try some there. I found a site that has seedlings for sell with some that are grafted and the fruit is supposed to weigh a little over a pound might just be what I'm looking for which would give me some tropical tasting fruit , I really like custard apple but it is just to cold here to grow it, thats why I like PawPaws as their flavor is really good. I hear that there is one type that is almost seedless which would make a good one to grow also. I'll just have to take a good look at my sister's place and maybe I can slip in three trees two females and one male tree shouldn't take up to much room and once my sister tries some they will most likely stay.
George W.
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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 15, 2011 16:54:10 GMT -5
Sounds like a plan. I'm just hoping for something so these seeds are supposed to be from a northern tree. We'll see. It'll be fun trying!
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bertiefox
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There's always tomorrow!
Posts: 236
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Post by bertiefox on Mar 18, 2011 13:18:20 GMT -5
I guess that 'paw paw' here means Asimina triloba rather than papaya, but I'd like some advice. I grew a small tree from seed some years before we moved to France (from the UK) and it grew fairly well over there. I dug it up and planted it here in France where the summers are much warmer but the winters a bit colder. My Asimina/paw paw curled up its toes and died two years after being replanted. It kept dying back and then never regrew very far. We are also on a fairly heavy clay soil.
What conditions do they like? Are they particular about soil? Can I get seed from the USA as I might try some in large pots rather than open ground? There are plants for sale here but the price is absolutely ridiculous (about 60 or 70 euros!)
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Post by mjc on Mar 18, 2011 14:14:22 GMT -5
A. triloba HATES being transplanted...you can get away with starting them in pots, but NEVER let them get root bound or let the roots grow out the bottom of the pot.
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coppice
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Post by coppice on Mar 18, 2011 17:35:04 GMT -5
---><8snip8><--- I dug it up and planted it here in France where the summers are much warmer but the winters a bit colder. My Asimina/paw paw curled up its toes and died two years after being replanted. It kept dying back and then never regrew very far. Over pay for some whole fruit (late in August-early October) spit out the stones into a pot of very fast draining soil. Seed needs to sit outside with a plank over the pot, or in cold frame to cold stratify. It will germinate in the spring. Seedlings can be gently teased apart if your potting soil was mostly sand. Re-pot into 4 (or bigger) liter pots. Plant out in pairs to feild in partial shade year two or three. I've not seen paw paw grow in standing water. Ohio clay is not a barrier. Paw paw planted to feild will not tolerate transplanting. So find your spot to plant first. If you move, start over. |
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coppice
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gardening curmudgeon
Posts: 149
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Post by coppice on Mar 20, 2011 11:28:50 GMT -5
I have some pawpaw seeds starting to germinate but here's the thing, they would be super borderline here for ripening and possibly for cold as well. Anyone want to give me advice/good wishes? Thankfully seeds are cheap. Select a large south facing masonry building as a heat sink plant near to it? |
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Post by heidihi on Mar 21, 2011 7:21:21 GMT -5
how long to these take to grow from seed to harvest? I have never tried or seen a paw paw except in a seed catalog (I kept thinking papaya myself as we used to call them paw paws! those have eaten)
now my curiosity is nipped!
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Post by castanea on Mar 21, 2011 20:30:23 GMT -5
Some seedlings will produce fruit within 3-4 years but's that's not common. 5-7 is more common. Also, the longer your growing season, the quicker they will get to bearing age.
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bertiefox
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Post by bertiefox on Mar 23, 2011 3:25:26 GMT -5
Anyone know where I might find fruit or seed in the EU? I couldn't find any on a quick search with Google.fr and I've never seen the fruit for sale anywhere.
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coppice
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gardening curmudgeon
Posts: 149
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Post by coppice on Mar 23, 2011 8:33:23 GMT -5
Anyone know where I might find fruit or seed in the EU? I couldn't find any on a quick search with Google.fr and I've never seen the fruit for sale anywhere. A quick Google search notes that Ghana exports paw paw to EU. Maybe try a phone call to the Ghanian embasy? Or try (which I did not) some variation of key words on google, like "sources for Ghanian paw paw" ? Paw paw IS a very seasonal item here, so it'll be midsummer before your more local crop comes near to ripe. |
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bertiefox
gardener
There's always tomorrow!
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Post by bertiefox on Mar 23, 2011 13:22:43 GMT -5
Are you sure that isn't papaya from Ghana, which is also called paw paw? It's the asimina triloba American paw paw which seems to be little known here, though Graines Baumaux were selling incredibly expensive plants... which from the sound of it, are unlikely to thrive if transplanted from the pot! Thanks for the advice though. There are some plant sales coming up soon so I will make enquiries with some of the exotic fruit and vegetable types here to see if they have any ideas.
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coppice
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Post by coppice on Mar 23, 2011 15:45:09 GMT -5
Bertie,
When using Asiminia triloba, I keep ending up at European Minor Fruit Tree Species Database. Now, I don't read write or speak Italian, Spanish, or French. Perhaps you know someone who does who can pick through this collection of databases.
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