The Planting of Bare Root Trees - the following advice is from Tollgate Gardens & Nursery

The planting of bare root trees should be carried out with care. The hole should be twice as large and twice as deep as you think you need, then refilled with good top soil and compost etc... This will give the tree a good start. You need-to water it very faithfully with a five gallon pail of water once a week the first year. This will ensure the tree will grow and be able to root itself in. Also mulch around the tree with leaves and or grass clippings, this helps to keep from drying the ground out!

Planting of Pawpaw Seeds

Pawpaw seeds must be planted in the shade and protected. When they germinate and come up the sun will burn the small leaves and shoots and kill them. After the first season the seedling can be transplanted into full sunlight without harm. Providing it is done while the seedling is still dormant!

Pest and Disease

The Pawpaw seems to have it's own built-in repellent to pest. As of yet we have not had to spray our pawpaws with herbicides.

Types of Pawpaws

There seems to be two distinct types, probably the most common is the white fleshed. The other is the yellow fleshed. The yellow fleshed is the best tasting. It has a fine banana custard flavor. The seed of the pawpaw is about the size of a large lima bean and lies in two rows throughout the length of the fruit. The larger the pawpaw the more edible fruit. There are sometimes up to seven pawpaws in a cluster.

Pollination of Pawpaw's

The Pollination of the Pawpaw flower is done by the carrion fly. The flower has a putrid smell so bees stay away from it. To draw flies to the blossom, pails are tied up into the branches of the trees and old meat, road kill, etc... is placed in the pails. As it rots it will call the flies and in turn they will pollinate the blossoms.

Grafted Varieties

Davis

The only named variety to this date, found in Michigan by Corwin Davis, and formally registered. This variety weights up to one pound. It is yellow fleshed and has a and has a very good flavor. The fruit is oblong and the skin is green to yellow when ripe. It ripens the first week in October.

Overleese

Very good flavor and size, up to one pound. Has yellow flesh, ripens the first week of October.

Prolific

Very good in flavor and size, yellow fleshed.

LXL

Ripens first week of October. Yellow fleshed - A cross made between Overleese and Davis.

Taylor

This variety resembles the Davis in taste but not in size. It is yellow fleshed.

Taytwo

Ripens second week of October. Weights up to one half pound. Yellow fleshed, good flavor but shy bearer.

Sunflower

Ripens the third to last week of October, Weights up to ten ounces, has yellow flesh and good flavor. Origin. Southeastern Kansas. Very hardy in Michigan, but doesn't always get ripe.

Lynn's Favorite

A seedling that is yellow fleshed and very good flavor. Named after my wife, it was her favorite.

Sunglo

A pawpaw with yellow flesh and skin. Weights up to twelve ounces.

Convis

A pawpaw of good flavor. Weights up to one pound. Yellow fleshed. A seedling named after our township.

Tollgate

A seedling pawpaw named after the Nursery. Have yellow flesh and a very good taste. Weights up to one pound.

Sibley

A possible sport of the Sunglo, Has yellow skin and flesh. Very good in taste. Weights up to twelve ounces.

Sweet Virginia

A seedling growing in Marshall, Michigan. Possibility Selfpollinating. Yellow fleshed, good taste, weights up to twelve ounces.

Lady-D

A seedling yellow fleshed and good tasting. Weights up to twelve ounces.

Belle

A seedling yellow fleshed, taste outstanding, fruit weighs up to one pound.

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