Paw Paws

[ReeferMac]

Found a patch of Paw Paws in the back corner of the property today. A few even had some fruit. Were still hard and green, so I left them alone and made a note to come back and check them every few days until ripe. I've never had them before, but was looking into getting some seed's to try growing some! Guess I know where the right conditions are.... Some of these specimens were really old. Easily 30+ feet tall, 6-inch caliper trunk or greater. Lots of little one's in the under story I thought of trying to transplant....

... If I wanted to make conditions better for these tree's (aka make them fruit more), what should I do? I know they need shady conditions, but are heavily crowded. Would I be amiss to try thinning the nearby stuff out? Fertilize a little in the spring? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

 

- K

[martin5]

You should check with Highwalker. He has the classes on edibles and medicals.

[E4 No More]

14 hours ago, ReeferMac said:

Found a patch of Paw Paws in the back corner of the property today. A few even had some fruit. Were still hard and green, so I left them alone and made a note to come back and check them every few days until ripe. I've never had them before, but was looking into getting some seed's to try growing some! Guess I know where the right conditions are.... Some of these specimens were really old. Easily 30+ feet tall, 6-inch caliper trunk or greater. Lots of little one's in the under story I thought of trying to transplant....

... If I wanted to make conditions better for these tree's (aka make them fruit more), what should I do? I know they need shady conditions, but are heavily crowded. Would I be amiss to try thinning the nearby stuff out? Fertilize a little in the spring? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

 

- K

https://gardenerspath.com/plants/fruit-trees/grow-pawpaw/ 

[Omega]

Never heard of these, I'm going to try and find some seedlings to grow out on my land, see if they will take.

[E4 No More]

9 hours ago, Omega said:

Never heard of these, I'm going to try and find some seedlings to grow out on my land, see if they will take.

https://www.burpee.com/fruit/specialty-fruits/pawpaw-collection-prod000508.html

They are out of season but you can save the link until next year.

[Omega]

3 hours ago, E4 No More said:

https://www.burpee.com/fruit/specialty-fruits/pawpaw-collection-prod000508.html

They are out of season but you can save the link until next year.

Thanks, I put myself on the notify list for when they come out next season.  I'll also check with a local guy, by Joelton, that I get many of my fruit trees from to see if he carries them.

[ReeferMac]

Thanks martin5, I figured @Highwalker would chime in when he gets back from his hike in the woods! 

 

... I've taken his class, twice! Excellent opportunity and a great guy... Amazing that it's just there free for anyone willing to take a few hours on Saturday.

Do a search for the seeds @Omega, there are several sources available. Was looking at the one's for sale over here:  https://www.rareseeds.com/pawpaw-premium-giant-mix/  and considering order some for myself, as I usually get a passel of packets from them every Spring.... didn't want to wait 7 years for it to grow, LOL! Guess I got lucky finding them. I believe the seeds are sensitive to moisture, and need to be stratified to grow. Growing-guides I've read suggest just burying the fruit whole in the fall.

I've got gaggles of the little one's sprouting all around, if you ever get out near Knox-town, bring a shovel and let me know....

Thanks!

 

- K
 

[Omega]

4 hours ago, ReeferMac said:

Thanks martin5, I figured @Highwalker would chime in when he gets back from his hike in the woods! 

 

... I've taken his class, twice! Excellent opportunity and a great guy... Amazing that it's just there free for anyone willing to take a few hours on Saturday.

Do a search for the seeds @Omega, there are several sources available. Was looking at the one's for sale over here:  https://www.rareseeds.com/pawpaw-premium-giant-mix/  and considering order some for myself, as I usually get a passel of packets from them every Spring.... didn't want to wait 7 years for it to grow, LOL! Guess I got lucky finding them. I believe the seeds are sensitive to moisture, and need to be stratified to grow. Growing-guides I've read suggest just burying the fruit whole in the fall.

I've got gaggles of the little one's sprouting all around, if you ever get out near Knox-town, bring a shovel and let me know....

Thanks!

 

- K
 

Might take you up on that next time I visit the daughter in Charlotte.  I can probably get the seeds to grow, I have a heated seed tray which does good to germinate most of my garden seeds.  It's usually the transplanting where I lose most of my trees, that and the area out where I hunt.  I don't think the soil is very good for fruit trees.  I usually dig a large hole and use a bag of miracle grow dirt to help them along, and I got a few of those water bags so I can water them unattended.  

Now that they are building a church next to the house, clearing trees, I want/need some trees to screen myself from the street. So I figure fruit trees would be a good start, intermingled with some sort of cypress to create a wall once the fruit trees take.

[ReeferMac]

Paw Paws are a shade-loving tree, I don't think they do well in full sun. That's why I was worried about trimming back some of the surrounding shade tree's around the patch I found. I don't want to burn/kill them in an attempt to get more fruit from them.

Thanks.

 

- K
 

[E4 No More]

3 hours ago, ReeferMac said:

Paw Paws are a shade-loving tree, I don't think they do well in full sun. That's why I was worried about trimming back some of the surrounding shade tree's around the patch I found. I don't want to burn/kill them in an attempt to get more fruit from them.

Thanks.

 

- K
 

That's contrary to what the Burpee site says. They direct you to plant in the full sun. 

[Omega]

5 hours ago, ReeferMac said:

Paw Paws are a shade-loving tree, I don't think they do well in full sun. That's why I was worried about trimming back some of the surrounding shade tree's around the patch I found. I don't want to burn/kill them in an attempt to get more fruit from them.

Thanks.

 

- K
 

I seen that, and I have a good place to plant them where they will be pretty shaded.  There is a large persimmon tree just off my property (fruit drops on my side) there though, so it may or may not help get more deer to that spot.  I planted some date and fig trees a couple years ago in a different spot, a few took, so maybe they will spread out from there.  The only tree that has actually survived for longer than three years, so far, is a plum tree but it is stunted and has not grown more than 5 or 6 feet.

[ReeferMac]

Interesting, thanks for sharing @Omega! I've had a hard time getting a lot of things to grow in the native soil around here..... compressed clay!

LOL @ E4 No More, I hear ya... But remember, Burpee makes money selling you seeds.... The hundreds that sprouted on my property via mother nature are all under heavy under-story. I've read that you can sprout them in shade and gradually move them to sun, but from what I've heard they are rather sensitive plants, and not very adaptable.

.... Which is odd, really, when you think  about plant biology... they need the sunlight to make the sugars (that they use for energy and store in their fruit). So if the plant is in an environment with a minimum of lighting, how does it make a sweet-tasting tropical fruit?

Neat stuff!

 

- K
 

[E4 No More]

2 hours ago, ReeferMac said:

Interesting, thanks for sharing @Omega! I've had a hard time getting a lot of things to grow in the native soil around here..... compressed clay!

LOL @ E4 No More, I hear ya... But remember, Burpee makes money selling you seeds.... The hundreds that sprouted on my property via mother nature are all under heavy under-story. I've read that you can sprout them in shade and gradually move them to sun, but from what I've heard they are rather sensitive plants, and not very adaptable.

.... Which is odd, really, when you think  about plant biology... they need the sunlight to make the sugars (that they use for energy and store in their fruit). So if the plant is in an environment with a minimum of lighting, how does it make a sweet-tasting tropical fruit?

Neat stuff!

 

- K
 

Burpee is not the only one. Did you read the first link that I posted for you? https://gardenerspath.com/plants/fruit-trees/grow-pawpaw/

LOCATION SELECTION: To grow a tree, choose a location in full sun. It should be somewhat sheltered, either by a nearby building, fence, or shrubbery, because high wind is known to damage pawpaw, permanently twisting its branches.

They have direction for shade if you want a shrub:

For cultivation as a shrub, select a partially shaded location beneath a canopy of tall deciduous trees, where looser, sprawling growth has room to roam.

[ReeferMac]

LOL! Yes, I did read it. Just never seen one growing in full sun before. Shrug, I tend to be skeptical to begin with.... especially with things I read on the internet. It's possible we're talking about different varieties? Perhaps they have a commercial cultivar that they have bred to tolerate full sun over the generations? Every one I've ever come across in person, was buried in the back of the woods under heavy under-story. Most of what I've read on wild varieties is similar. The only places I've seen full-sun mentioned, is places that sell it. Perhaps these are 2 different tree's?

Thanks.

[E4 No More]

11 minutes ago, ReeferMac said:

LOL! Yes, I did read it. Just never seen one growing in full sun before. Shrug, I tend to be skeptical to begin with.... especially with things I read on the internet. It's possible we're talking about different varieties? Perhaps they have a commercial cultivar that they have bred to tolerate full sun over the generations? Every one I've ever come across in person, was buried in the back of the woods under heavy under-story. Most of what I've read on wild varieties is similar. The only places I've seen full-sun mentioned, is places that sell it. Perhaps these are 2 different tree's?

Thanks.

They may have cultivated a hardier stock. I did notice that their picture on the fruit on Burpee's site looked a little different than the pictures of the wild fruit. 

[ReeferMac]

Finally found a fresh one and was able to try it... interesting taste and texture. I could see mashing a bunch up and using it to make a bread or some other cooked dish. They're not going to replace my Oreo's, though.

 

Thanks.

 

- K

[xtriggerman]

Seems to me when I was on the High walker informational, he had a very healthy Paw Paw growing between his garden and house. If I remember right, he said a good amount of sun is needed to bring out any good size in the fruit. After seeing his tree, I'v also wanted to try growing a couple.  Its that illusive long list of to do things........ 

[Lumber_Jack]

On 9/30/2019 at 8:13 PM, ReeferMac said:

Finally found a fresh one and was able to try it... interesting taste and texture. I could see mashing a bunch up and using it to make a bread or some other cooked dish. They're not going to replace my Oreo's, though.

 

Thanks.

 

- K

use them in place of anything you would traditionally use a banana foe, ie banana bread

[Lumber_Jack]

On 9/27/2019 at 11:22 AM, ReeferMac said:

LOL! Yes, I did read it. Just never seen one growing in full sun before. Shrug, I tend to be skeptical to begin with.... especially with things I read on the internet. It's possible we're talking about different varieties? Perhaps they have a commercial cultivar that they have bred to tolerate full sun over the generations? Every one I've ever come across in person, was buried in the back of the woods under heavy under-story. Most of what I've read on wild varieties is similar. The only places I've seen full-sun mentioned, is places that sell it. Perhaps these are 2 different tree's?

Thanks.

You're not going to hinder the fruit production of the trees by removing some mid story competing trees.  I'm back in Knoxville now, maybe one day before the leaves all drop I can come out and we can look at what's in the stand and some steps you can take to clear around them.  

[Highwalker]

They do excellent in full sun after they are more than 1 year old, it’s hard to start them from seeds, or much harder than digging up a already established sapling2-3 ft tall. Supposed to have more than 1 for pollination, I have heard they need to be unrelated also. When you find a thicket of them, when you start digging you will see that generally they propagate from root runner instead of seeds. I get 30+ lbs of fruit from my tree, except for this year it didn’t have very many.

[ReeferMac]

Thanks everyone. I have a couple on the edge of an area we cleared for pasture, and they just look burned up... yellow leaves year round, first to turn brown and drop. I'll keep an eye on them and hopefully they'll adjust (though it's been a few years). Most of the one's I've seen deeper in the woods by me are smaller tree's surrounding a larger specimen (those 30-40 footers). Probably root propagation then. There are several stands however, and I've seen some fruit, so there must be a couple... I think I might try to dig a few out and transplant them up near the edge of the pasture to see if I can get them to adapt? Thanks again for the info and discourse!

 

- Kevin

 

[Morgan88]

Would a soil test be helpful?  Maybe this location is deficient in  P or K?

[RandyB]

We bought several paw paw trees from Turner and Sons Nursery close to McMinnville. Planted them 3 years ago and still no fruit. They seem to be very slow growing. Did have one tree this year have one fruit bud but a later frost killed it. That tree was only about 4 feet tall. We currently have three trees. My thoughts are I always want to keep two alive so they pollinate better so the third tree is a back up. 

Got rid of another acre of trees a few months ago so might plant a few more paw paws along the edge of the woods and see how they do.

[DWARREN123]

Can you make shine from them, ask for myself!

[Raoul]

32 minutes ago, DWARREN123 said:

Can you make shine from them, ask for myself!

You could add them to a mash.