Do voles eat roots of pawpaw? Thank you
I’ve never had a problem. Even the squirrels, bane of my existence, tend to leave my pawpaws alone.
Scott
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I have had no problems with voles in 3 years.
But I do think I’ve come across reference to vole damage. Though it might have been talking about overwintering potted pawpaw Seedlings outdoors.
I’ve kept away from any kind of mulch for my nut and other fruit trees, but because they say paw paw does not do well with weed competition I have been experimenting with cardboard mulch…Using a 2ft square piece of cardboard around the plant… however the voles arein great abundance this year and was told by professionals they do not eat the roots of this tree but I read on this site somewhere someone said the Vols did… I know they are going to shelter under the cardboard so I will soon find out 
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I doubt you’ll have problems with voles, if I had to guess.
However - I might caution about the cardboard so close the tree. It can block water and more importantly oxygen from the root zone. Personally I would not use that around a tree but rather to prepare an area well in advance, such that the cardboard will decompose before you plant there.
You could do some googling to check into it.
I have had NO known vole damage on pawpaw.
Nursery pots mulched with hay for winter ,
Cardboard mulch
Both ideal Vole habitats , yet no vole damage.
Your mileage may vary ?
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To those of you that have planted State seedlings and did not graft over 2 improved varieties… what are the chances of getting good fruit… I know it’s a very difficult question…what I have read is that if you plant seed from good trees you have very good chances like 70% of getting good trees… but where does Missouri Indiana and Kentucky get their seeds from…you wouldn’t think they would go through the trouble of small little wild fruit… Or maybe they would because there’s more seed in them just wondering
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The state nursery programs are in it for wildlife habitat, soil conservation, and timber. Most of them gather seed from a more it less random wild source and use that to establish their seed orchard. There’s no selection for fruit quality. Your chances of good fruit are about the same as from any wild tree.
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Resurrecting this thread to see if anyone has yet seen vole damage on pawpaws? I have several hundred seeds to plant this spring, and would like to know before planting in heavy vole traffic areas.
I’ve been growing paw paws in my forest garden for 16 years, while experimenting with all manner of mulch, occultation, dense planting with guilds, all of which means I have a pretty healthy vole population. I’ve never seen vole damage nor browse of any kind. I had hardware cloth tree guards the first several years but finally abandoned them when I realized. I forget who it was (perhaps he a member here?) that was establishing paw paw orchard in I want to say S. Ohio by running goats in his woods. They’d apparently eat everything but the paw paws. If they don’t touch the stuff, it’s hard to imagine a critter that would. I think the (alkaloids?) found in all parts of the plant are concentrated in the leaves, seeds, and perhaps bark. They’re called Annonaceous acetogenins and have been used, or at least looked at, for killing cancer cells. According to Lee Reich’s book, and anecdotal reports bear this out, a tea or slurry made from the leaves makes a good homemade insecticide. I’ve never tried it, but think I will…
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The goat guy is Chris Chmiel of Ohio Pawpaw Festival fame.
I’ve never seen any animal damage of any kind to my pawpaws other than possums or coons climbing them. But deer will rub them, they say.
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Deer definitely rub ours, but the pawpaws don’t really seem affected other than it’s unsightly.
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I know that when pruning pawpaws the smell can almost seem like diesel fuel.
I’ve had many things sampled, mostly by voles and bunnies, but pawpaws are one that they have left alone.
Scott
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Thank you everybody that’s very useful to know. Now to plant them where I want without fearing the voles!
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