Does anyone happen to have a good source for pawpaw seeds that would have been in cold storage and could be ready to plant now in the spring? I was meaning to get and store some last fall, but instead bought grafted trees.
With how shaky things have been going on those, I’d really like to direct plant some seedlings and compare how much better they do. Any other ideas are welcome.
http://www.nuttrees.net is a source I used several years ago and I was happy with their seed. I would talk with the owner before ordering to make sure you are getting stratified seed.
Thanks for the info! I had forgotten about them, but due to my experience with the grafted trees from there, I won’t be risking any further purchases.
Mostly I’m looking for rootstock grade seed in any case, I expect to graft over the seedlings after a year.
I’ve considered buying some trees from them based on the good experience I had with the seeds. Would you mind letting me know a little bit more about your bad experience? PM me if you’d like. Thanks.
Sheffield seeds has seeds that you’d have to stratify, which I know is not what you are looking for. I bought some from them as a backup to the seeds I bought from England’s. I’d say approximately 50% germinated.
I know that you didn’t ask about this, but I thought I would mention it anyway. You might check with your local soil and water conservation if you are interested in seedlings. I bought 10 from my local branch. They were 2.10 a piece or 5/9.00. I plan to graft some scion wood that I got from Fruitwood Nursery to them.
I don’t think I know of any better Gene Pool than Red Fern Farm. You should email them.
Dax
Thanks! I have no idea about them, but I found their website and will give a call and see if they sell trees. Maybe since they are native here they might. Ideally though I do think seeds would be a better fit for me right now.
Thank you! will do
How many seeds you thinking you want? I’ve not taken a count on how many I’ve got in cold storage, but I could probably part with a few and not miss them. I don’t know the names of any of them, and some were wild collected.
And, Kentucky State University has a website…and will give anyone I believe 10 seeds.
(I assume you know planting seeds in sunny locations won’t work…you’ll have to provide artificial shade at least for a year if you are direct sowing in a garden or orchard
I think I heard they aren’t doing it this year due to the virus unfortunately.
News hadn’t reached me. I haven’t asked for any since 2018, maybe I should find out first hand?
They suspended operations according to their Facebook page.
I must have gotten on the tail end of it. I received my seeds about two months ago from KSU before all this happened. that being said I am looking to plant more this spring.
Thanks for the info! Even if they aren’t doing it, I’ll still check with them. 10-20 seeds are about what I need I would guess. I’m hoping to get around 5-8 viable rootstocks to come up in those locations, so I would probably plant 2 side-by-side and hope at least 1 is viable.
Once they come up above my thick woodchip layer, I would plan to put them in a shade grow tube until they come above that, and graft next spring. Do you think that would work?
I’ll send you a message more on postage cost etc. Thanks for the offer!
Sounds like you have planned well. One year growth won’t be very large caliper, so unless you are good with grafting thin twigs, my guess is grow two seasons before trying to graft seedlings.
But, maybe mine just don’t grow vigorous as some people’s. None of my 2019 seedlings are more than a foot high…and I have over 50. My 2017 seedlings would be at a good place to graft…except I want to grow out those seedlings into trees as they were from the late pawpaw researcher in Indiana.
(Some folks get a quicker start by planting in a greenhouse or heated space…I plant in containers in early summer outdoors. Takes warm weather for them to come up.)