I just got two 2’ pawpaw seedlings bareroot two weeks ago. I’m new to pawpaws and after researching a little more I don’t think I want to take a chance with the seedling route so I’m going to try grafting known varieties to my seedlings. I believe I want to get KSU Chappell for one and any other suggestions for a second variety and why. Also if anyone has Chappell scions I would like to purchase a couple. If anyone has any other scions let me know the variety so I can look them up and see if it’s one I would like to buy. Thanks!!!
Worth a try, but you may have to buy from someone like Fruitwood. Thinking most people are like mine about to flower and leaf out.
I would grown them out for 2 years at least, then graft. Get the roots established so it can feed the graft when it’s bigger. Doing two things at once both above and below ground is asking a lot and failure rates are higher, pawpaw or otherwise.
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I agree with @fruitkismet . Wait at least a year. Pawpaw don’t transplant very well bare root and take a year or more to really get settled in. During that time they usually have very little growth and sometimes die.
Makes since, I will wait at least a year for the seedlings. I’m not getting any younger so I may just buy a couple named variety trees to speed up the process. Any suggestions on good varieties and online sellers who will ship?
I also agree with @fruitkismet . It would likely be a mistake to try and graft this year. I would also plant and wait 2 years before trying to graft on them. I do have scions of Chappell and many others to offer, but advise against trying that this year.
There are plenty of good varieties nowadays. Some of my current favorites are Allegheny, Tallahatchie, Shenandoah, NC-1, and Overleese.
Do you have a pic of the bareroot seedlings? Some of the unreliable sellers online send you 2ft sticks with almost no roots on them.
My experience buying online is that you can’t easily get a bigger tree like you can with other fruits by just paying more. The tap root is pretty fragile and they get sold while still young and small, so ask about size. Try Restoring Eden, though shipping can be high. One Green World and Edible Landscaping sell them but regardless ask about size. Buying their bench graft vs making your own doesn’t gain you any time.
Paw paws are hard to grow - slow and light sensitive with the tap root. I’ve had a bad failure rate over many years (granted I’m not in their native region). My latest attempts will be with planting out a ton of seeds so the tap root never gets disturbed.
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I see you’re in z9a. That’s pretty warm. Are you in N FL?
That would make it difficult for bare root pawpaws to get established…especially if you get into a drought period.
I live in NW Florida, almost Alabama. My zone really depends on which map you look at. Some say 8b and some 9a. So basically it looks like I live right on the line. I put both of the pawpaw seedlings I got bare root in a pot so I can keep them in a shaded area if you think that would be better. I have over 100 fruit trees and most I purchased online bare root and I have had the best luck with putting them in pots first and then planting later that fall or next spring. The ones I immediately put in ground seem to grow more slowly. May have to do with our sandy soil.
I don’t have any pictures of them before I planted them. Just going by memory, which isn’t as good as it once was, I remember the roots being blackish in color and approx. 10” or so in length
Thanks TJ_westPA, I will wait for sure. I’ll probably buy some scions from you in a couple years if these seedlings make it. I didn’t realize that pawpaws are so sensitive to planting bare root. My wife is from PA, a small town named Greencastle.
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its also fun to learn how to graft as soon as you can to get some practice in be4 you do to gain some confidence.
How much did you spend on the rootstock pawpaws?
Where from? Curious if cost-prohibitive to get more to practice on this year.
like pretend you can buy and get $2-5 each and try on 10 rootstocks this year for a total cost < $50-100 … Many may not make it, but decent bareroot rootstocks pretend will get 50% takes for me.
or practice on something random like our local scionwood event in PA sells apple rootstock for $3 and free scionwood to practice on.
I’ve never grafted pawpaws before but I’ve done numerous apple and pears. I’ve tried different styles to see if one works better than another, bark, cleft, whip n tongue, and so far they have all worked really well. Out of about 80-90 attempts I’ve only had three not work. Citrus I’m 50/50. I’ve attempted two grafts and one made it. Mangoes, a totally different story, I attempted four this last fall and none of them took.
In my area the only difference is with pawpaws (and persimmon), i graft in mid May vs late March/early April for apples/pears. They leaf out late (on larger trees, pawpaws flower 1st then leaf out) and people told me you want decent amount of leafing out before grafting. So pretend they start budding/leafing out May 1st then ill graft once a few leaves are further out mid May (in Philadelphia zone 7a/b, yours might be earlier in Florida).
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I’m sure we would be a bit earlier. The Matsumoto persimmon I planted last year started leafing out about a week ago.
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I will say I was talking about American persimmon. Not sure exactly when but Asian persimmon will wake up much earlier in April. Maybe even late March if get warm weather again
Pawpaw take grafts great. I just wait till leaves start to emerge then graft. If your trees do well you will have no problem grafting them.
If anyone needs pawpaw scions I still have availability: Pawpaw Scion Wood | Peaceful Heritage Nursery
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@TJ_westPA Do you have any more scions of KSU Chappell available? I’d love to get a few before end of season here – let me know the best way to contact you. Cheers.
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