Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the taproot, usually about 1 foot deep.
Avoid planting in excessively wet or dry soil. Fill the hole carefully, eliminate air pockets, and water thoroughly after planting.
Space trees at least 8 feet apart and rows about 20 feet apart in orchards.
Should I fertilize my tree?
Yes. Apply a water-soluble fertilizer through
fertigation at 500 ppm once in May, June, and July.
Alternatively, apply urea, Nature Safe\circledR, or 10-10-10 at 1 oz of actual nitrogen per tree annually during establishment.
Apply 3–4 oz of actual nitrogen per tree in late winter after the 2nd year as tree matures.
Can I transplant trees or root suckers?
Transplanting pawpaws can be difficult because of their deep taproot.
Dig as much of the root system as possible and keep the root ball intact.
Root suckers often lack sufficient roots to survive on their own, but success may improve if they are partially separated from the mother tree several weeks before transplanting.
Do I need to water my trees?
Water trees immediately after planting.
Young trees are sensitive to drought and should receive about 1 inch of water per week during the growing season.
Drip irrigation works well in orchards.
How can I control weeds around my trees?
Weed control is critical during establishment.
Use wood-chip mulch or weed-barrier fabric to suppress weeds and grass around trees.
Glyphosate may also be used according to label directions, but avoid contact with tree bark, stems, root suckers, and leaves.
Kentucky State University is an equal opportunity provider.
Figure 1. Example of a grow tube or tree shelter and mulch
Acknowledgments
We acknowledge funding to support this work from USDA Evans-Allen Project # 7004384, USDA 1890 Cooperative Extension, and 1890 Centers of Excellence CSFRPRES.
Sources
Layne DR. 1996. The pawpaw, Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal: A new fruit crop for Kentucky and the United States. HortScience. 31:777–784. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.31.5.777
Pomper KW, Layne DR. 2004. The North American pawpaw: Botany and horticulture. In: Janick J, editor. Horticultural Reviews. Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. p. 349–382. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470650882.ch7
Pomper KW, Crabtree SB, Layne DR., Peterson RN., Masabni J., Wolfe D. 2008. The Kentucky pawpaw regional variety trial. J. Amer. Pom. Sci. 62:58-69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.71318/apom.2008.62.2.58