• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • paul wheaton
  • Tereza Okava
  • AndrĂ©s Bernal
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden

Fertilize young paw paw (asimina triloba) trees after planting?

 
gardener
Posts: 912
Location: North Georgia / Appalachian mountains , Zone 7B/8A
58
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

I planted four 2 foot tall paw paw trees yesterday (bought bare root).  The instructions that came with them say to plant directly into soil, no soil amendments, no fertilizer.
However, Most instructions I find on the net for juvenile paw paws say to fertilize them when planted.

All other instructions seem to agree though (keep well watered, protect from the sun)

I'm just wondering if there is any advice either way about fertilizing?  
 
gardener
Posts: 6829
Location: Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5
1690
hugelkultur dog forest garden duck fish fungi hunting books chicken writing homestead
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I would use a root stimulant before I worried about adding fertilizer, pawpaw trees are very sensitive to sudden changes around their root system.

I like to wait till a tree shows signs of "taking" when I plant young trees, especially understory trees like the pawpaw, which does need shade the first two years of life.
These trees do best when planted in an understory where they will have to grow taller to find sunlight, that way they come into the light gradually and don't sunburn.

Redhawk
 
Cris Bessette
gardener
Posts: 912
Location: North Georgia / Appalachian mountains , Zone 7B/8A
58
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I actually already have about 8 paw paw trees that I have planted over the years.  

I grew those from seed, but I don't have any experience with bare root paw paw care. I'm just mainly worried that fertilizing them too soon might have a detrimental effect, though
like I mentioned,  the instructions that came with these particular trees said not to do so.
 
Bryant RedHawk
gardener
Posts: 6829
Location: Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5
1690
hugelkultur dog forest garden duck fish fungi hunting books chicken writing homestead
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
hau Cris, yep, I would go with their directions.  
I am impressed that you got pawpaw seeds to germinate, it can be rather tricky where I live (up on a mountain top and not down in the hollow where the stream is, which is their natural habitat).

The root stimulant is more of a root jump starter (I use old B-12 tablets dissolved in water). Once you see some new leaves coming out, you will know the tree roots are establishing themselves and will be ready for a bit of nutrient addition.

 
I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay, I sleep all night and work all day. Tiny lumberjack ad:

World Domination Gardening 3-DVD set. Gardening with an excavator.
richsoil.com/wdg


reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic