Have you tried any Fall budding? I’m thinking that it would be good to do them at the same time I do peaches, but I’m just not sure.
2 Likes
I haven’t but I am trying it this year. I have heard of it working though.
2 Likes
I’ve had pretty high take rates as well, but these are all my own seedlings and I grow them in full sun. By the time they are thick enough caliper to graft they already have most of the Stuewe tree pot volume filled out because of the transpiration needs. So after I graft, when they’re getting that first flush of growth, there’s a lot of rootstock push available.
I bought pawpaw rootstock seedlings once online from Fruitwood. I want to say 75% survived potting up and most of those had graft takes that spring. I want to say they were shipped as plugs though and not bare root so there wasn’t much root loss/disturbance.
You would at least expect to see some suckering attempts from healthy rootstock though. Maybe they needed a year potted up or planted before grafting.
4 Likes
First, let me start off by saying that is a beautiful pawpaw tree. Pawpaw genetics vary significantly right now. I have pawpaw in the ground 2 years out growing ones in the ground 10 years. Some just died because they could not acclimate here. The fruiting times are also highly variable. We also see this with apples and pears or any other trees for that matter. Back to your original question of what is the age of this pawpaw? On my property some are 12 years old and not that big. I have a variety that I developed from wild seedlings that has a really nice growth rate. I don’t know what the fruit tastes like yet. I’m also going to point out the obvious factors like soil, water, climate, etc. we know are the other givens in growth. We can tell that is one very happy pawpaw tree!
That is typical growth for that amount of time. They look good for that age. Once established in the 3rd or 4th year they really take off.
That is how I see all pawpaw the worst case scenario they are rootstocks.
1 Like
@clarkinks Planted seed june of last year in that spot! So this is its second growing season. You are right seed genetics and location play a huge role. One of the things I want to do is build a decentralized pawpaw breeding network, testing seedling lines, and getting the best growth possible.
Anyone wanting to get in on this is welcome, right now I am doing a seed giveaway running from now until the end of the month. Just shoot me a message and I’ll send the sign up link.
I do think I have close to optimal conditions, but I still want to apply what I have learned to marginal or ok conditions as well. Our family farm is far from ideal, its been tough!
4 Likes
I like your video on varities. My varities for now will be different here but there may be some overlap long term. I’m in 5b - 6a and that is less than desirable climate.
1 Like
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback. Let me know if you want to try the same type of seed that grew really fast. Or feel free to suggest what other kinds of videos youd want to see….tastings is definitely on the list….soon itll be time!
1 Like
on current season growth i have what look to be flower buds but also with covers or are turning into leaves. maybe a leaf/(leaf|stem)/flower combo?
also, double leaves:
3 Likes
Could be a flower, but might end up as a leaf. Looks like good strong growth so far!
1 Like
Yes, I would like to try some seed. Let’s wait until the seed is fresh. Thanks
1 Like
along with summer pruning back branches with no flower buds or to where flower buds end, but to encourage more branching and the possibility for more flower buds before the end of the season, have you ever pruned back flower buds? the goal being to encourage more, shorter branching, but also limiting a string of say 5-8 flower buds back to say 3ish that are closest to the branch crotch.
1 Like
I made a couple videos on just that today. I dont really see much benefit to summer pruning pawpaw other than storm damage.
@clarkinks fresh seed for sure, just getting my list together before harvest season gets crazy. If I sell too much fruit I won’t have any seed! Id be interested in trying some of the pawpaw seed you think is toughest!
3 Likes
Sounds like a great trade. Thanks
1 Like
I’m pretty new to pawpaws but that is crazy fast growth for any fruit tree in my experience, especially pawpaw and especially from seed in just a single year, that has to be some type of record or something. I’m interested in some of those seeds, looking to grow some from seed next year to accompany the ones I just planted pretty recently.
Here’s my very tiny little Shenandoah pawpaw, I’m very impressed how well it took because I received it from Edible Landscaping in a quart sized pot and yet the roots only extended to half the pot which means it had a taproot that was much smaller than it could have been in a proper sized pot. When I received it, we were actually in a heat wave and it has immediately taken to the ground. Started as a feeble twig and makes me much more confident now that it has quickly leafed out. I planted a KSU Chappell around mid June and I was very impressed with the quality, quite similar to the exceptional quality I see posted here from Peaceful Heritage.
4 Likes
I’m having some issues with my 10yr old Wabash. Getting leaf curl/twist, short leaves, nontypical leaf budding along branches. It started a couple years ago, but seems to be getting worse. It’s mostly on the shadier side of the tree. I notice no real insect damage.
Any tips would be great.
3 Likes
I have seen summer blooming on pawpaw a couple times. Usually on very drought stressed trees. Or herbicide stressed trees.
1 Like
Id give it a good pruning next winter. Looks like it hasnt been pruned and the buds are getting too close together.
1 Like
I haven’t ever pruned it besides a limb up here and there. I’ve never read anything about them needing pruning before. I’ll look into it thanks.
I also thought the twisting leaves look like pesticide damage but I don’t spray anything near them. That side does produce suckers which get cut below the soil.
1 Like
I never saw it really written down either just what I picked up on from growing them and visiting other orchards. Planning to do some pruning videos in the future, but if you want check out some of the bud development videos I put on youtube. It is counter intuitive but pruned trees grow faster than unpruned trees.
5 Likes
Nice video. I’m gonna prune my never pruned trees this winter all the way back like this now.
1 Like