I planted out some pawpaw this spring, in the understory of a small patch of woods. Soil normally stays pretty moist all year. They seem to be doing well, despite no rain for 7 weeks now, plus heavy deer presure.
My plan is to dig up 14 after they go dormant and pot them. Hopefully they will wake up late winter/early spring. Then i'll graft them with desirable varieties.
I'm currently pretty much settled on the following 7 varieties. Information about each variety is AI sourced.
Susquehanna :
A popular cultivar known for large fruit (often over 1 pound), with sweet, creamy yellow flesh. It ripens in mid to late season and is noted for reliable productivity. Requires a pollinator for fruit set.
Chappell :
Produces large, cylindrical fruit with excellent, sweet flavor and light yellow flesh. Ripens in mid-season. Known for good productivity and is often recommended for home orchards.
Benson :
Features medium to large fruit with rich, sweet flavor and smooth texture. Ripens in mid-season. The tree is vigorous and productive but, like most pawpaws, needs a compatible pollinator.
Shenandoah :
Yields large, well-shaped fruit with aromatic, creamy flesh. It has a balanced sweet flavor and ripens in the mid to late season. A reliable producer when cross-pollinated.
Jerry’s Big Girl :
True to its name, this cultivar produces very large fruit—among the largest of all pawpaw varieties—often exceeding 16 ounces. The flavor is sweet and tropical, with soft, custard-like flesh. Ripens in late season.
Atwood :
Developed by Neal Peterson (a leading pawpaw breeder), this cultivar produces consistently large, flavorful fruit with a smooth texture. Ripens in mid-season and is part of a group of elite cultivars known for high quality and productivity.
Potomac :
Also developed by Neal Peterson, this variety produces large, elongated fruit with excellent, rich flavor and high flesh-to-seed ratio. Ripens in mid to late season and is noted for its reliability and vigor.
Besides my issue with memory, I've still got my poor girl mentality. But I'll be hooking these poor guys to drip irrigation. Can only hope they'll magically make it.
Sprinkler doesn't fully reach. And the tripod version loves to break and be stuck spraying one direct spot...
Potted up some of them. Gotta plant a bunch around the farm soon...Rest next year or sell what's left off.