Hi all. I happened to see this instagram post from edible landscaping who just got in a shipment of pawpaws. everything I have read suggests pawpaws should be planted in ground when they are very small so their taproot isn’t damaged or bent in a pot, and they are best planted in spring time. these at edible landscaping seem way too big. am I mistaken? thoughts?
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I haven’t had any problems transplanting pawpaws from even 10 gallon containers to ground. Tap root was bent and twisted in the pot. It didn’t seem to matter much.
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I think they would survive and be fine but may not be as vigorous as planting a smaller tree. I’ve wondered if planting 3yr or older potted pawpaws can be a way to dwarf the tree. My oldest tree was purchased as a 3yr old potted seedling and grafted at 4yrs old. It puts on enough growth each year to flower and fruit but it’s not even trying to become a huge tree. It could be rootstock or planting site i cant be sure but compared to all of the pawpaws I’ve planted as tiny twigs they have passed it up and they are all half its age. The trees I have that I direct sowed the seed are by far the healthiest most vigorous ones and they are becoming big trees in only a few years.
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Not sure what they are charging, but you will be hard pressed to find pawpaw that big being sold. The tap root will start going down after you plant it. Being twisted a little will not hurt it.
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Contrary to popular belief, there’s nothing magic about the tap being straight and unbroken. Sure, it’s better if it’s straight and intact, but the trees do fine.
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I got several pawpaw’s 3’ tall grafted on 4 year old rootstock from Neal Peterson back when he was selling his introductions. Big, full root system on bare root plants. Best at establishing of any other suppliers plants.
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Relatively recently ordered me two grafted trees from RT and like everything I’ve gotten from them I expect it to be bigger than expected, also like other things I have received from them who knows when they will send them haha
I moved a 4-5 foot pawpaw around Labor Day … Broke a pencil or bigger sized taproot.
Despite no rain to speak of, it’s alive and probably lives in it’s planting spot. Hanging in…I gave one gallon water yesterday.