They will look like this when emerging, one on left , seed not planted deep enough so it is lifting the seed out of soil , just let this be, the seed will fall off , ok .the shepherd crook one on right is normal emergence ,seed stays below ground, shoot pulls out of it, leaving the seed below soil , as it stands up.
Slugs can become a issue at this stage !
those look great, didn’t know slugs would get into them and will have to keep an eye open
I pull mine from the fridge and start putting them on the “cool” spot of pellet stove in late Mar/early Apr once we start turning it off during the day. They stay 80-90F all night and then during the day drop to room temp. The radicals usually start emerging around the time of our last freeze so I pot them up and put them outside during the day. If we get into the 30s overnight I bring them in.
Those look nice.
I’ve had some snap if they try to emerge while the seed remains stuck in the potting mix. I actually tend to like the ones that lift the entire seed straight up…it gives that early seedling some strength. I’m sure there’s some preferred depth for placing the seeds, but I assume in the wild they’re not getting covered by much soil after only one winter unless there was river/creek flooding.
The length of time, combined with slow grow, plus the fact that it is tap root in nature, plus bolting growth of suckers on parent tree, are all indicators that auxin is slightly too high & Cytokinins too low in the species.
Inability to clone is also an indication of the same.
Has anyone tested Asimina triloba hormone ratios & levels?
still no movement over here. everything is staying damp, I’ve taken away the heat mat as we are over 60 at night now, into the 90s in the day. I’m keeping them in a tub with just enough water in the bottom to fill above the holes, so the soil stays damp.
How many people eat McDonald’s ,wear deodorant or brush with flouride? Pawpaw is the least of our worries! Our bodies are so amazingly created that whatever is in Pawpaw is probably only beneficial to us . Got to keep us away from nature and keep big pharma well paid!
night time photos because it’s been a crazy month, but they are starting and no question about it. attached to the seed casing!
@TrilobaTracker Ya know that unreleased pawpaw cultivar (hint hint wink wink) that you said you liked? Grafts took. Grew 3 feet. >_< Hoping for fruit next year.
Well we do have a growing population and finite resources… Just sayin
Assuming that’s 4-25. What do you use for seedling parentage? That’s some good push going through those grafts. I’m hoping to graft a few next year.
The ones that grow bonkers here aren’t seedlings. I dug up a lot of suckers and about one feet radius of all lateral and vertical roots with them and replant. Most of my suckers are 1-3 inches in diameter (trunk) so if I top them at 1 foot, they tend to just go really push growth.
I don’t really keep track of which seedlings I use to graft. Last fall I took about 5 or 6 five gallon buckets all filled to the brim with rotten pawpaws and dumped them into the back field in various places and I just check what sprouts in the spring/summer. The sunflower seedlings seem to sprout most vertical growth, but it’s hardly a controlled study since the Shenandoah and Susquehanna fruit got dumped in an area with slight afternoon shade.
VE-21 = Valley East
well two more are popping now, the one that’s started is now in the wet area in full shade in the ground. it’ll get a while before frost, I think 45 days. should I mulch over with straw maybe, to keep it a little warm? over winter.
excuse the mess, this area got a cleanup after planting was done
hear you there! I definitely had snails and slugs eating on mine before.
Never too large of a pawpaw 
okay maybe much more than 2 lbs you start breaking branches. I think if the flavor was good I could eat a 2 lb fruit, but the only fruit I’ve had that big was a Susquehanna. I think those are better to share since they have a good but strong flavored.
Could someone please recommend the best heat tolerant varieties for the Deep South, Mississippi delta, zone 8
You can grow pretty much any variety but here are a few ideas.
You are the best!!! Thank-you!! Any idea were I can find tropical treat??
Woodie Walker still grows it as well and likely has scion wood every year and may have even already grafted some that will be growing out already. Both Woodie and England’s are great with Pawpaw.
