Planting Pawpaw Trees 5 Steps to Success

[@armyrabb1]

I so appreciate the information you've given. I was all prepared to spend a lot of money on fencing and shade cloth for the three Paw Paws I got delivered today. Now, all I have to do is get a couple of tomato cages and wrap some old feed sacks around them. I am 67 yo and I'm building a food forest for my grandchildren. Thus far, I have had a time keeping peaches alive, most everything else is flourishing. I found out that black walnuts are toxic to several species, but the peaches are far enough away, they shouldn't be affected, although I've read that peaches and black walnuts get along. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[@veramae4098]

Walnuts and apple trees do fine.

[@BangBangBo]

I found keifer pear trees don’t mind black walnut at all and are fast growing and disease resistant & cold hardy. Deer also surprisingly leave them alone more than other trees I have. Persimmon also do well near black walnut

[@johnwilcox4078]

Great video, very informative! I have around 10 pawpaws here in southern Wisconsin, the oldest tree planted in 2013. Most are grafted Shenandoah and Prolific varieties, some are seedlings. I've harvested fruit for three years now and really enjoy watching them grow! I do fertilize, irrigate, maintain a 5' mulch circle around each tree, hand pollinate, and lightly prune, which seems to produce results. I had one 1st year plant die over the winter from extreme low temperature (-28!), also frost during blossom time is always a concern. No deer here, but rabbits have attacked young plants so I protect them. There was a 2 day windstorm in May that knocked off of dozens of tiny young fruit clusters. At this latitude, sun burn is not a problem. So it's different challenges here in the upper Midwest, but I love my pawpaws and so do my friends and neighbors. I encourage people to grow them, its fun and rewarding! Thanks again, I look forward to the pruning video!

[@greatescapefarms]

It sounds like you have some lovely varieties. I have both Shenandoah and Prolific. I just last week planted a mix of 13 other named varieties. Later this fall I'll be planting some seedlings and will graft onto them in the spring. The orchard is growing. Thanks for sharing your story. I generally don't hear about pawpaws up as far north as you are. I'm glad they grow and do well there. It sounds like you definitely have some different challenges than we do here.

[@liviuiasinschi4712]

I'm sorry, my english is not good how fertilize your paw paw ? Thank you.

[@nasimarahman7683]

Can I use 10-10-10 fertilizer on my pawpaw trees?

[@johnwilcox4078]

Yes, a good balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 will help with overall growth and fruit production. I use Jobe's fruit and citrus tree fertilizer spikes in the fall as directed. Their actual formula is 8-11-11.

[@nasimarahman7683]

@@johnwilcox4078 Thank you!

[@jaaaaannnnee]

SO helpful, thank you. I just got two different species so they can cross pollinate and today is the big planting day!!!

[@greatescapefarms]

Yay. I hope planting day went well and wish you success with your new pawpaws.

[@paulbaker337]

I enjoyed this very much . 2 things you can reuse those ties , look and you will see a small slot where the tie goes through. Place a small slot screw driver in and press , then remove the tie . Also I saw your tree pots they are rootrainers very nessary for a planting, as they keep the roots of any plant from going round amd round the inside of the container , Amazon is a great source for these , don't belive what some reviews say that are cheap and wonderful.

[@helenaragon6539]

best video yet so far you answered a lot of questions I've had for a few years now I have trees and two babies that came up recently didn't know that water was so crucial and how to find where the flower buds would be ....Thanks!

[@branchingoutpermaculturewi4766]

this was an awesome video for planting paw paws. i have two as of now in the ground and 20 stratifying in the fridge. cheers mate

[@greatescapefarms]

Good luck growing out your 20 pawpaw seeds.

[@bayardstringer6042]

Thanks for the video! I am putting two grafted trees in the ground today.

[@mikeash7428]

Good info on planting and pruning. It's my intention to get some paw paws growing on my land. I appreciate your video. Thanks.

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome. Good luck with growing more pawpaws!

[@jrswackhammer8205]

I felt the same way. I got online and ordered paw paw seeds. Very surprised at the germination rate. I've got 7 little trees going. So it's very doable! 👍 Good luck to you

[@wyzukee]

Great video! Learned a little more about paw paws and will use that knowledge with my two young trees. Thank you!

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome. Good luck with your two young trees.

[@sequoiawarner6756]

Great info! I have a berm and swale to plant in, but will have to water as the water table is down.

[@shane5110]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@harleytrumbo633]

Thanks for sharing your pawpaw experiences and experiments. Very informative. I prune mine differently. I'm desiring scaffolding limbs that grow at 9 to 10 o'clock. It appears that you like to prune those away while favoring 11 o'clock limbs? It has been my experience that the more a limb grows laterally the better they are at weight bearing when the fruit comes on. My experience has been that the limbs that grow off the main trunk in a "V" tend to tear away when they are full of fruit. Disheartening to go out after a storm and see those fruit laden branches torn away. Keep making pawpaw videos.

[@Wisconsin_Gardener]

Thanks for the replies

[@greatescapefarms]

you are most welcome. Thank you for commenting.

[@troydunn6228]

Thank you. I like your green house.

[@raymondkyruana118]

This is so helpful!!! Thank you!

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome!

[@Pay-It_Forward]

thanks, well done.

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.

[@bugscranks7605]

Thanks for a great video. I just got back from the Ohio paw paw festival and planted my 12th pawpaw tree on my property. None are more than three years old. Nine of them are in an open field with full sun and three of them are by a stream at another part of my property. How long did it take you before you saw flowers or fruit? Also, have you used any white water-based latex paint to prevent sun-scald?. If so, when did you start using it

[@greatescapefarms]

I just returned from the festival myself. I bought 12 more named varieties to add to the collection. My first flower was at about 3 or 4 years of planting of a grafted cultivar. It takes a few years longer on seedlings. That time varies quite a bit depending on water, sun, location, etc. I have never used the latex paint before. I'm investigating that right now.

[@bugscranks7605]

@@greatescapefarms the guy who gave the speech at 10:00 on Saturday doesn’t do it. I have seen some KSU videos and they do that every other year

[@greatescapefarms]

@@bugscranks7605 One of the sessions I attended, the speaker said he use to do it but no longer does. I have read several pawpaw books and don't recall seeing anything about it. I just need to figure out if it is a one-off or the norm.

[@nativemega-art1625]

Interesting 🙏

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@nativemega-art1625]

@@greatescapefarms I grow my own Pawpaws here in Southern California.

[@nativemega-art1625]

@@greatescapefarms it was the only way I could get to taste one. 🙌

[@greatescapefarms]

@@nativemega-art1625 Wow, you're the first I've heard of someone growing in SoCal.

[@greatescapefarms]

@@nativemega-art1625 That's awesome!

[@Vireo]

Great video. My understanding is that pawpaw is largely deer resistant due to the toxic foliage. Bucks will rub the trunks of small trees, however, so deer protection is still a good move. Deer do heavily browse many other native (mid-Atlantic) shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plants unfortunately. Deer over-browsing is currently a huge problem for our eastern US deciduous forests. Pawpaw have the luxury of being largely pest and disease free, the pawpaw peduncle borer being perhaps the worst. Caterpillars of the zebra swallowtail butterfly will eat the foliage (they co-evolved to tolerate the toxins in the leaves) but shouldn’t defoliate a mature plant.

[@dxhound4216]

Your paw paw videos are very informative, thank you, I notice some of your paw paw trees are in full sun, how old does a plant need to be to plant in full sun?

[@greatescapefarms]

I've heard conflicting stories. Some say 2-years, others say 16 to 18 inches and others say put it in the sun immediately, just make sure you water them well during dry spells. This is one of the experiments I'll be working on in the future.

[@bw7057]

Use your comfrey for the following also. Wounds, Scars, Fibromyalgia, Muscles and Joints, Digestive Ulcerations, Airway Congestion, Urinary Health, & Eye Strain.

[@greatescapefarms]

I love the comfrey.

[@Gods-Elect]

bw wish I knew how to use comfrey is there a web site explaining this?

[@Ruckus_Longhorn]

Very informative video. I recently ordered two PawPaw trees. They are about a foot tall. I’ve transplanted them into larger pots and have them in the shade. How long should they stay in the pots or should I go ahead and plant them in the ground? Also, how far apart do you recommend planting them? Thank you.

[@greatescapefarms]

If possible, I'd put them in the ground now. If it's not possible, you'll need to bury the pots in the ground before it goes into the 20F if you are in a cold climate. Pawpaws can handle cold temperatures, but only if their roots are protected by the earth. You can put them 1' apart so it looks like a single tree forming a "V" or you can put them up to 30 to 40' apart.

[@NasierOmran]

Very informative indeed. Its leaves look like they cant tolarate hard wind.. would you advice protection against it or avoid planting pawpaw in open fields? Also the tree size you planted at 8:45, how long would it take for it to grow pawpaws..?

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

I have 1 and 2 year pawpaw seedlings all over my property with no protection, they seem fine. Only one ever to get damaged was by a dog flying into it, and that one actually had a cage around it lol.

[@grandmasterautistwizard4291]

I think they'll start producing about 3-4 years old

[@wvhunter1]

Great video. Do you move your pawpaws from the treepots to the field during their first summer/fall after germination, or do they spend the first year in the tree pots?

[@greatescapefarms]

I try to transplant no later than at the two year mark. The longer they are in pots the more likely to encounter tap root issues - either wrapping around the pot or breakage.

[@violethouseworth5943]

oh my gosh>>>i clipped some branches>>threw them in some muck water and withing 5 days, I had roots>>>

[@rngsft]

What do I do about 6 inch bare root paw paw with zero leaves on them when they arrived? Do I need to prune them?

[@LovenXR]

I’m in zone 8a, east TX, I have two pawpaws in pots. When do you recommend I put in the ground, spring or fall?

[@saintmaxmedia2423]

could you explain why I should not cover the trunk above the root line? would not more roots grow there? Eva

[@marisasanchez1699]

Would you recommend fertilising the tree when planting? Are paw paws sensitive to fertiliser?

[@greatescapefarms]

Pawpaws should be fertilized around the April/May timeframe and then again around the June/July timeframe. They should not be fertilized after that as it will spur a bunch of growth right before winter and the new growth will likely not make it through winter.

[@marisasanchez1699]

@@greatescapefarms great, thanks 🙏🏼

[@greatescapefarms]

@@marisasanchez1699 You are most welcome. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@opreapetru404]

bravissimo

[@FastandFoody]

Hello and thanks for the video very helpful. i just got 3 pawpaws and they were from a native nursery in oklahoma, They had one variety so i bought three.. do i need onother type of pawpaw to fruit or will these 3 pollinate eachother. Im not entirely sure but they are most likely from a seed and are now about 12-16 inches tall.

Do the flowers need hand pollination to get fruit?

[@troydunn6228]

I just planted five small pawpaws. About a foot tall. I put them in blue tree tubes in part shade in the afternoon. Do you think this will be okay? Thank you

[@greatescapefarms]

With pawpaws long tap root, you'll want them in their final growing space in two years or less.

[@hempalchemy9955]

I would love to grow some pawpaw down here in Western Tennessee . Would I use an indigenous species? Or better yielding fruit from your pawpaw? Please write me back. I'd love ❤️ to learn more! Keep making videos!

[@greatescapefarms]

TN and its climate should be able to handle any of the pawpaws out there. I'd go for some with good taste. There are several online plant nurseries out there.

[@terryleblanc459]

Same question as Rob Rice, when do you move from pot to permanent outside locations?

[@greatescapefarms]

I try to transplant no later than at the two year mark. The longer they are in pots the more likely to encounter tap root issues - either wrapping around the pot or breakage.

[@codysaunders7348]

I've heard its difficult to propagate suckers and getting them to root. Is that true? I'm up in Ontario and I know where I can find some wild specimens

[@steveyoung3303]

Cut the leader between the main tree and sucker, wait for it to grow independently and then transplant it

[@Atimatimukti]

​@@steveyoung3303thank you, that sounds a fantastic idea . I have a Sunflower that has 7 suckers and I was not sure what to do with them

[@miguelmiranda8437]

Dónde puedo conseguir las smillas de paw paw o Los árboles somo 12 pulgadas para Puerto Rico

[@veramae4098]

What climate? I live in Mich, 5A, and I have a large swale with springs; I've though a paw paw tree would be sheltered there from the worst of winter. What do you think?

[@robertr.hasspacher7731]

I don't know anyone that looks more Roman than you, my dude

[@greatescapefarms]

Roman - That's a new one :)

[@michaelanderson4199]

Did i miss it? How do you dig the hole? With a fence post digger?

[@greatescapefarms]

I used a shovel. If your soil is harder and more compact, you may need a post hole digger. I was more trying to stress the size of the hole and the placement of the plant than how to dig the actual hole.

[@michaelanderson4199]

@@greatescapefarms thanks! I went with the post digger guess due to the paw paw having the long taproot

[@Espythegreat1]

Hello from Massachusetts. What time of year is best to put the paw paw in the ground? Spring or fall?

[@hannahhill7134]

I'm moving onto 5 acres and i want to cover it in fruit trees, and need to figure out the most economical way to do that. Anyone have suggestions on where to source organic trees for cheaper then home depot?

[@greatescapefarms]

I would recommend checking out my plant propagation playlist as well as other channels out there that show you how to propagate plants. Then go out and purchase just 1 of each type tree/shrub you want to grow and propagate it in mass. This is the cheapest way to plant in mass.

[@ottohesslein3230]

Is there a variety of paw paw hearty enough for Central Wisconsin?

[@greatescapefarms]

It looks like Wisconsin is in USDA Hardiness zone 3-5. Pawpaw is hardy in zones 5-8. So, unless you are in zone 5, you likely can not grow them out in the wild where you are.

[@giuseppelaini8021]

Scusi sono in Italia ho fatto nascere asimina che tipo di innesto usate? Grazie

[@originalwoolydragon8387]

Since pawpaws are fruiting now, would you plant the seeds now or wait until spring?

[@greatescapefarms]

The pawpaw seeds need 90 to 120 days of stratification to break dormancy. There are several ways to do this. One way is to plant the seeds now and they will stratify naturally over the winter. The downside to this method is rodents. They dig up and move or eat the seeds. Since I run a nursery, I do not want to leave that to chance, so I stratify the seeds in my refrigerator for 120days. I put the seeds in a sandwich bag with a damp paper towel or pete moss and seal the bag. I'm usually pulling the seeds out in late January or early February. I then plant the seeds in a grow room I have at my office. Pawpaws take 6 to 8 weeks (at ~75F) to work on the tap root before anything happens above ground. This gives me several months head start on growth and that way I can sell larger plants in the fall. I have several videos on the pawpaw playlist on my channel that show this, but I really need to re-do the videos so the process is all in one video.

[@originalwoolydragon8387]

@@greatescapefarms Thanks!

[@greatescapefarms]

@@originalwoolydragon8387 you are most welcome.

[@monstermaash]

@@greatescapefarms What do you do with the seedling after the first year? Do you have to put it in the ground the first winter?

[@sovereignpeak]

Have you done any electroculture

[@fcuk_x]

Dam, I thought I had lotsa japanese beetle around here in GA...

[@greatescapefarms]

We have our share :)

[@crude4u1948]

I purchased two trees two years ago. Early this year I up-potted them into tall #7 plastic pots. They have been in full sun since repotting. I am looking forward to winter and am hoping to purchase a good quality popup greenhouse to protect my vulnerable trees.I don't want to put them in the ground as we are planning on moving in a year. How should I proceed with feeding and care. I have several pecan trees I could place them under if needed. And for long term should I maintain it as an understory?

[@greatescapefarms]

Pawpaws have really long tap roots and do not do well in pots for the long term. Eventually the long tap roots will wrap around the inside of the pot and could break when transplanted.

[@dewanelomas1302]

Trying to grow pawpaws from seed,will they pollinate each other? all seeds are from the same plant.

[@greatescapefarms]

They will. Seedlings are genetically different than clones or grats.

[@truefact4439]

I planted some 6 foot seedlings in zone 4. Do you think they will survive?

[@Kjbrunzo]

Usually Cold Hardiness Zone 5, some say zone 4. If I were to try growing pawpaw in zone 4 I would maybe mulch a little extra to protect the roots in winter. Definitely worth a try 👍

[@truefact4439]

@Kjbrunzo I put down about 5 inch of mulch. If they live I will be extremely happy. I drove 22 hours to get them .

[@codysaunders7348]

@@truefact4439 are you in Ontario? I'm in zone 4b and my neighbour grows pawpaw successfully ✌

[@truefact4439]

@codysaunders7348 I am on the edge of 4a and 4b. You think I can get fruit?

[@29Man...........]

My pawpaw is not fruiting. I live in the country of Bermuda.

[@bw7057]

Do you only have one Paw Paw? They need a partner or two in order to be pollinated.

[@annebird9195]

I got some Pawpaw seeds this spring and am thinking of planting them in a pot the first 2-3 years, would it be okay yo start them all in the same big pot and then trasplant them all into their own pots when they go doement?

[@greatescapefarms]

I plant all of mine in a single pot for the first year. I then put them in their own pot when they are dormant and I sell them in the spring when they break dormancy.

[@timothywolfenden4478]

And deer have nothing to do with pawpaw here in Massachusetts....I wish they did.....

[@loradietmeyer4416]

I have a Rebecca’s Gold pawpaw tree coming today. I chose that one because I have a small yard. Question, do know anything about the Rebecca and will it produce okay? I live in Oregon.

[@LC-wv7tz]

I can't tell you anything about that variety specifically, but you need multiple different Pawpaws in order for them to fruit. They are not self-fertile. If you are using a grafted tree, then you need different grafted varieties (grafts are genetic clones of the original). Pollination is also a bit finnicky. They are slow to grow and fruit. It could be 5 years, maybe more like 8 since you are planting in their non-native habitat.

[@aefjaenudin6254]

mau dong..kirimi ke indonesia😂...!!..

[@josephbutler5230]

Do rabbits eat young PawPaw plants leaves?

[@greatescapefarms]

I have not had problems with rabbits eating the leaves. I have had problems with ground hogs eating young shoots, but that only seems to happen in the winter.

[@Wisconsin_Gardener]

I bought some pawpaws online and the guy insists on pulling the leaves off. The taproots look to be damaged as well. Are these trees dead or do they have a chance to survive?

[@greatescapefarms]

I do not understand the pulling leaves off part. Do you have any leaves or signs of life on the plant at all?

[@Wisconsin_Gardener]

None yet… just a curvy branch in some lightly damp soil

[@greatescapefarms]

@@Wisconsin_Gardener If you don't get green leaves after a few weeks, it is likely dead.

[@Baltezaar]

Do you sell pawpaw trees, and if so how can I purchase some? Thx.

[@greatescapefarms]

We do not ship plants. We do sell out of our nursery in Romney, WV, and at Charles Town Farmers Market and a location in Pasadena, MD.

[@Baltezaar]

@@greatescapefarms thx!

[@greatescapefarms]

@@Baltezaar You are welcome. If you are looking to buy from someone who ships here are a few of my go-to vendors: ediblelandscaping.com, burntridgenursery.com, onegreenworld.com

[@annieh1953]

Hi can I buy you pawpaw plant

[@greatescapefarms]

We do sell locally. If you are around WV or MD you can pick them up. We do not ship.

[@ingridseymour6764]

From what I have read, young Paw Paw trees should be at least partially shaded. That doesn’t seem to be a factor in your site location. Why?…..

[@greatescapefarms]

If you notice about half way through the video I put a tomato cage around the paw paw with cardboard on the south facing side. This was put in place to protect the paw paw from sun during the mid-part of the day when the sun is most intense.

[@charanbambal9052]

Can you send me paw paw seeds in india ?😊

[@greatescapefarms]

Sorry, I'm not licensed to deal with sending seed or to send out of the USA.

[@Neil-iz5sn]

Excuse my query but these look to be Mangoes not Paw paw Papaya .

[@ThatStevenLouis]

These are actually pawpaw lol. People of the eastern hemisphere call papaya pawpaws, but papaya and pawpaws are two completely different fruit 👌🏾

[@Kjbrunzo]

They do look like mangos but this species is Asimina Triloba, a fruit tree native to only North America. Very unique.

[@MaekarManastorm]

What method do you use for stratification Paper towel, peetmoss mixture ect

[@greatescapefarms]

I mostly use paper towels. I used to use Pete moss, but paper towels are easier, cheaper, more sustainable and work just as well.