Growing Pawpaws ( Asimina triloba )

Any possibility of Rappahannock parentage?

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My pawpaws are not loving this cool spring and slug pressure, but they are finally starting to leaf out more fully:

I fed them some fish emulsion almost a month ago when the buds started first expanding, but they still look a little on the pale side, which I assume is them complaining about the lows often barely making it out of the 40s and highs rarely above the 60s lately. They only get direct sun for a brief period in the late afternoon (when I took those photos yesterday), but mostly are in the shade of a fence and the neighborā€™s house.

Interestingly, the last one (Prolific) appears to have suffered some stem dieback this winter, which I wasnā€™t expecting.

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You are very generous and kind. My work will be lost to the sands of time, but I do what I can right now.

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I doubt it they were wild selected seeds from good fruit in the Kentucky/ southern Indiana region. I have noticed three different kinds of leaf patterns while growing pawpaw. This horizontal kind that are short and on the small side, long skinny kind like Sunflower and huge like Wabash. It would be interesting if flavors were to leaf shape.

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Cool spring I wish you must be either in the Washington area or way north pretty much everyone else has had an extremely warm spring. Kentucky is already experiencing temps we usually donā€™t have until mid July. Sounds like you need as much sun as you can get for those pawpawā€™s.

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Yup! Seattle, and I donā€™t envy everyone elseā€™s hot weather. The cool spring has been a problem with some garden stuff, but Iā€™ll take that over record heat waves any time.

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Luckyā€¦I would thrive in your area I love cool rainy cloudy weather maybe one of these years.

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Itā€™s 9 months of mostly dreary, misty, mildly cold and drizzly weather, and 3 months of near pure sunshine with highs in the 70s-80s. I love the drizzle, but by the start of the dry season (right now), Iā€™m usually ready for the sun again. By the end of summer when the lawns are brown and dusty, and the sky is filled with smoke, Iā€™m always happy to see the rains return.

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Weā€™ve had 2 extended heat waves so far and itā€™s not even July yet. Looks like this is going to be a record year for 90 degree days letā€™s hope it ends mid September like it usually does but I will be surprised if it does. Good luck with those pawpawā€™s.

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Several people on here have used high nitrogen fertilizer on pawpaw with success including myself. I would use some urea on them itā€™s what finally made mine grow.

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Iā€™d prefer a cool spring at the moment. I havenā€™t had rain here in 2 weeks and itā€™s been hot and sunny most days. At least itā€™s been humid, which the pawpaws seem to enjoy. They despise droughts though and Iā€™d rather not see a repeat of 2020s long drought. Iā€™ve been watering a lot and could use a break. Hope to see some rain tomorrow.

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Hereā€™s what I fed them last month:

I could add some urea, though, since I have a ready supply of it (me). I suspect the constant clouds and cold temperatures are the main issue, and weā€™re starting a warm stretch now with highs into the 80s and lots of sun, so hopefully thatā€™ll get them going.

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Yes rain please.

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I add that in with my diluted urine mix for trace minerals, but that alone isnā€™t going to give them the nitrogen they want if they are otherwise craving it. I used fish/seaweed fertilizer occasionally for a couple of years and they barely put on any growth. After researching over the winter I went heavy with the nitrogen every week or two and they really took off this spring. Iā€™m in z5b so my soil temps arenā€™t exactly that warm either. Iā€™ve had more days in the 70s, but more nights in the 30s and 40s as well.

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@weatherandtrees (PPF 8-58) Rappahannock seedlings of BEF-30, according to R. Neal Peterson in private message, male parentage unknown.
He suspects but is unwilling to speculate.
Iā€™m looking research over attempting to deduct such information along with many other things.
@Blake has the best most informative book in easy to understand language

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@Blake From Stardust we came and to Stardust we shall surely return. Let us Rejoice and Cherish the here and now :sun_with_face:My Wife and I received Grafted Triloba Cultivars from your operation yesterday, Mr Cothron, and we must seize upon this opportunity to thank you for these Beautiful, Robust, Healthy specimens- simply Superb- the best I have ever seen: Life is Good :blush:

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I concur.

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Wow @Blake, TrilobaMaster @Osteen praise is priceless.
He is not easily impressed :clap:.
Thanks be for the blessings of the contributions of your work!

Pawpaw orchard planted out. 146 planting sites with 4 seeds in each spot. Half of the sites are planted with seeds from Peaceful Heritage and the other half with seeds from Cliff England. There are already a few early sprouts, all from the England seeds. I hope that they are going to get enough shade. They are only protected from around 10:30am to maybe 2:00pm. So far it looks like these early sprouts havenā€™t been immediately fried. A month from now the weed growth should be a couple of feet higher, so that may save them (if the weed roots donā€™t get them from two feet on either side).
Heflin Alabama, zone 7b.

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Looking good!

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