Re: [nafex] PS. Pawpaw question and observation

Interesting! I just thought that I was not very good at growing pawpaws
as my experience is similar to others who have described bad luck with
grafted trees.

I have planted 7 and killed 6 grafted trees over 6 1/2 years. Two did
not leaf out in the second year at my site. Four have lasted 2-4 years,
some in intensive care with regular watering, soil quality (pH,
minerals, compost) adjustments, mulch and fertilization. Three have
flowered, and one is bearing, which is the only grafted pawpaw I own
that is still living, a 'Shenandoah'. Even this 6 yo tree (at my site)
is notthriving.

I can provide a detailed description of the last fatality. My four year
old 'Allegheny' (about 7 feet high) flowered well this spring and looked
good but was sprouting from the base. I kept rubbing off the sprouts. In
June, the apical petioles suddenly started necrosing. The petiole
necrosis descended until the plant died. It now is vigorously sprouting
from the roots.

I have lifted root sprouts with great success and transplanted them (cut
a 1' diameter around the sprout the first summer, lift the second). They
are thriving. My seedlings are generally thriving- some were started
inside on a heat mat in deep pots, and some growing outside – those
outdoor seeds took 2 years to produce seedlings. It has been easy to
transplant them so far.

My working hypothesis for the grafted trees, is that I need to plant
them higher- almost on a mound. I am suspecting root rot and maybe some
replanting disease.

I am currently focusing on planting my Shenandoah x Allegheny and
Shenandoah x Potomac seeds. I am going to buy 2 more grafted trees to
test planting them high in a different site. Hopefully I will have good
fruit someday!

I have not had success this spring with grafting to my rootstock
transplants – all cleft grafts. The wood was of small diameter, < pencil
sized. I want to try grafting to my rootstock transplants again next
spring so anyone who can provide scionwood, please contact me.

Betsy

On 8/19/2015 10:03 AM, Jerry Lehman wrote:
> On 8/19/2015 8:56 AM, Louis Pittman wrote:
>> My experience has been similar to mIEKAL's - container-grown pawpaws
>> that I
>> grafted and transplanted a year or so later, often grew for a year or
>> two,
>> then the graft 'woke up dead' after winter, and the understock re-grew.
>> Now... in-groung established seedlings that were topworked to named
>> selections... no decline or death of the grafted variety.
> We can't get a pattern or make conclusions if we don't hear from those
> who have successfully transplanted and grown potted pawpaws for say 5
> years or longer in duration. We need to hear of successes also.
>
> Jerry

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