Pittsburgh Metro Area

Regional Chats
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Hi yinz guys! I wanted to make a public thread where us Piksburgh folk can talk about trades n’at, maybe meet up for Primannies Dahntahn or check out the pawpaw patch in Schenley Park or on the GAP.

I’ll start with tagging a few folks I know have mentioned they are in the area on various threads I’ve seen.

@franp @HBK @eboone @PittGardener @urbangardener @speedster1 @TJ_westPA

Feel free to tag anyone else you know is nearby to keep them in the loop for trades/giveaways etc. and try to get more folks on the growing fruit map to see who is local!

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hi Ryan

nice idea!

I’m on North side of pgh

in case you should ever visit by canoe I’m abt 2 miles up the ohio river from stadium
zip 15212

I have 2 types paw paw trees… not sure what kind but pretty big fruit on one of them and
a bunch of other stuff also.

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Fran

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Thanks Fran!

Those are some healthy looking pawpaws! I am excited to see a few other local members growing them. Are yours native or have the tags disappeared over the years?

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Did not realize there were paw paws that grew around here.

I’m about 30 minutes north of the city, haven’t been growing long, have about a dozen trees.

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Ryan:
Several years ago I bought 2 (for pollination) at a local Nursery.
Then every fall a paw paw enthusiast sets up a vendor stand at the McConnell’s Mill State Park Fall festival gathering. He lets you sample a paw paw then sells small seedlings.
So I bought 2 from him.
In the pic the smaller, a bit over ripe paw paw is from the nursery, the others still on tree are from Paw paw enthusiast.
None came with an ID tag.

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We are near the northern “native” range, but there are a few cultivars that have been bred in Canada and a few for shorter summers.

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Hi Ryan and others. I’m on the south side with quite a few figs, currants, gooseberries, brambles and hops. I also currently have a few hundred pawpaw seeds stratifying in the fridge at the moment. On the hunt for more land so that I can expand my plantings.

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Hi Jason, thanks for the post! I have some of all the things you mentioned headed my way this spring or already grown, and I have about 30 pawpaw seeds from a friend on a heat mat in the basement right now! @urbangardener and I have discussed some possible “rogue park planting” in the places we frequent. Let us know if you are interested in joining in on the action! I know land is not cheap these days.

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I have probably seen this person in years past, before I even knew pawpaws existed. My wife grew up down the street from the park, and we both spent a lot of time hiking there when we were at SRU. That festival is always a fun time.

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I grew up in Allison Park. I had no idea until a few years ago either! The pawpaw patch in Schenley is where I took my current profile picture. I didn’t find any fruit because I suspect it is a clonal patch that needs a bit of genetic diversity added to produce fruit.

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@disc4tw I’d definetly be interested in the park planting, keep me posted. I was actually planning on direct sowing most of the seeds this spring and starting a few indoors. I’ve tried growing pawpaw in pots before and you really need a tall pot to accommodate their roots. I figure direct sowing might be a viable alternative not to mention a whole heck of a lot less time intensive. I’ve got no shortage of seeds so a lower germination rate isn’t an issue

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Hi everyone,

I wish I had planted pawpaws when I moved to my current home in '93, but I knew little about them until about 10 yrs ago. Now it is a little late for me, not sure I am going to remain in this house for many years.

I grow figs and peaches mainly, and have a few apple and pear trees and a small raspberry patch. I am in the Irwin area, if anyone is interested in getting together to share notes on what we grow. In the past I held a small gathering of fig growers in late summer (for 3 years in a row) but I am afraid those days are past. Still I would be glad if anyone is interested in stopping over, masks and social distancing are still in fashion here

Ed

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We will keep you in the loop! I am planning to use recycled pvc pipes from work as pots, so I can make them as long as I want to.

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@disc4tw
Ryan, this is a great idea.

To introduce myself, I always dabbled in gardening but I’m new to fruit growing. My apple, quince, cherry and apricot trees are in their second year. I also have more figs than I know what to do with, and a couple of kaki persimmons. Adding a hybrid persimmon this year.

I will also be propagating some American persimmon and pawpaw seeds, as well as some peach seeds that I poached from under a very productive neighborhood tree. While I can try to fit one or two additional trees on my lot, most of those pawpaw and American persimmon seedlings will be destined for guerilla planting and/or trade/giveaway.

I also grow assorted veggies (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cukes) and herbs (too many to list). Trying my hand at grafting for the first time this year.

My intermediate future dream (in five years or so) is to acquire one of those city lots in Pittsburgh that are too narrow to build on, plop a tiny house on it and habe an urban farm extension. There are several of those on the Northside and I’ve always been a fan.

@Franp
Fran, I used to live in your neck of the woods in Brighton Heights. Great neighborhoods that are very bike-friendly. Those pawpaws look impressive! I’m yet to taste one. We hike in McConnell Mill a lot and I never knew there was a fall festival.

@jaunders1
Jason, great to hear that gooseberries and currants are working for you. One of my currants died last summer. I am adding more this spring but had concerns that it might be too hot for them here.

@eboone
Ed, I’d definitely be up for visiting and maybe trading some figs, if you’re up for it. Masks and distancing and all, for sure. Hopefully, if and when this pandemic mess is over, we all could do an annual or semi-annual (spring and fall) seed/plant swap meet. I’d be happy to host one.

Alex

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Ed, I am also near Irwin and would love to take you up on a tour, maybe this summer!

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Hey yinz! I’m in sheraden, in the west end. About 7 minutes from downtown. I’m trying to get a mini orchard going, but I was a little late to order for this year. I do have 3 varieties of pawpaws that should be arriving any day now. I have several raised beds and blueberries. I’ll be putting in my raspberries and blackberries this year. Chickens and bees next year most likely. I’ve been in this house for 5 years. It was built in the mid 1800’s. Totally renovating inside and out.

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Thanks for the info on the Paw Paw vendor at McConnells Mill. I’ll have to check it out this fall. We usually go hiking there a few times a year anyway, we’re just across the border in Ohio.

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The Mills is one of my favorite places to hike. Hells Hollow is a fairly strenuous out and back (about 13 miles) but you can park a car on both sides to make it more manageable. The festival is pretty fun too, I hope it is running assuming covid is less of a risk soon.

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Not to be the bearer of bad news, but keep your eyes out for these guys and kill all of them. The grey egg masses are lain on trees, cars, etc so get rid of that when you see it too. These things decimate fruit trees.

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@urbangardener Alex, the currants and gooseberries I have are on a north slope along a east facing fence. They end up getting direct sun during the first half of the day then are shaded throughout the afternoon. One currant that I have which get more sun exposure looks pretty rough during mid summer. What persimmons do you have? I’ve been contemplating getting either a hybrid or cold hardy kaki. I’ve actually also looked into that city lot program but from my understanding there is a lot of bureaucratic red tape involved and my inquires/applications in the past have gone nowhere. This site might be of interest: https://www.lotstolove.org/

Great to see so many people from around the area.

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