I did everything I could think of to help them out. First of all the long first season as described above, following advice I got in the container growing forum (planted in 5-1-1 mix, fertigated weekly with Dyna-gro Foliage Pro) They had leaves well after top growth stopped, so I think they were growing their roots. I prepared the ground where they were to be planted the season before, while they were in pots. To do that, I killed the grass with Roundup in August. A week later I planted a mixed cover crop (Soil builder mix form Peaceful Valley Farm Supply plus alfalfa) and mulched those seeds with maybe an inch of compost. The cover crop was over 3 feet tall by October when the frosts came. I added several inches of leaves that fall (no tilling ever, just put everything on top). I planted the trees that spring as soon as their buds started swelling. I shaded them that first season in the ground with two layers of window screen, and fertilized every couple weeks with Miracle Grow at half strength. They grew well that year, but it was the next season that they really took off, with some of them putting on 4 feet of height that summer (2012). More raked leaves on top of the soil in the fall. The next year I continued feeding with Miracle grow, and they did not put on quite as much height, but had great growth of their lateral branches. I've always kept a diverse herbaceous layer underneath them and in the whole planting plot. This is a great way to add organic matter throughout the soil (through root turnover). I also throw all the prunings/twigs from my yard there. My goal was to mimic the soil of the pawpaw's natural environment, the forest understory, as closely as possible (lots of roots, lots of organic matter, a nice layer of organic litter on top, fungally dominated). The difference in the soil compared to the surrounding lawn, in both color and texture/structure is amazing (started with orange clay). Lots of mushrooms show up in the patch as well. Alex

As long as I stay on top of the watering, they do pretty well--but by being stingy & careless with the irrigation I nearly killed my biggest one last year, and when I went out this morning to take photos I saw that another one has dried out and is really suffering. So, due to my own neglect, I've only got two decent ones left. This one is now my best hope. It's 6 feet high and even made a few flowers this year. This had been the biggest until last summer when the main trunk died due to water stress. At first I thought the missing leaves were due to leafcutter ant, but no such luck. It's now trying to come back from the base, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that it will succeed as a multi-trunked tree (which would make a good base for grafting on a few named varieties). This one has been slow but is hanging in there; it put out a few flowers this year as well. Your request for photos may have saved this one--time will tell. I went out to take pictures and saw it was on its last legs, so I gave it a soak. Hopefully it's not too late. This 10" runt came from the same batch of seeds as the others, and was planted at the same time. Aside from being tiny, it seems healthy enough, so I just leave it alone to do its thing under a white sapote. I include it with the other shots just to make the point that, if you're starting them from seeds (and you have enough to waste some), you might as well plant several in each location and then cull the least vigorous. I kind of got sidetracked by avocados last year, and haven't been paying enough attention to the pawpaws. In Arizona they clearly need frequent, deep irrigation, and one hot day with a water deficit is enough undo several years of progress. They also need deep mulch, which I also haven't gotten around to adding yet. I'll try to do a better job of taking care of them this summer, in hopes of being able to give a better report next year. In the meantime, if you haven't already done so, you might want to join the Pawpaw Fanatics Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/927257504078942/

Yes they are Asimina triloba. I planted them where I have sprinklers and soaker hoses. They will get plenty of moisture from those during the spring and summer. I just hope we continue to have rains during the winter and early spring so the roots will get a good start. I am glad that I got them in the grown this early in the winter. It is amazing how those hosts of the television garden shows can get so much done and never break a sweat or get dirty. (This applies to those cook show hosts too.)

Dear moontraveler, When you used the word "hybrid" it is hard to know what you mean exactly, a hybrid normally referring to a cross between two separate species, but I have a hunch that you are referring to SEEDLING paw paws, as opposed to named cultivars. In answer to WHERE folk get or buy their trees, we'll I've just had shipped to me (in L.A. Calif.) 7 highly touted cultivars from a wonderful nursery in Oregon called One Green World... They came in by fedex in special packing boxes, ALL perfectly secured by ingenious methods, all without the slightest damage. These were the varieties Mango, KSU-Atwood, five Peterson-Paw Paws (Susquehanna, Shenandoah, Wabash, Potomac, Allegeny). I have three 3 ten year olds I bought at a local nursery that don't offer these any longer -- Sunflower, Rebecca's Gold, Wells) I happen to live in citrus country, very, very hot and dry in the Summer which is NOT a Paw Paw friendly venue, but I babied these trees like noting else I've ever grown -- shade cloth all summer for five years, six inch mulch, misting stands, AND letting my hose run at very low pressure just about all day when the temperatures reached 110 degrees plus...they are ten feet tall now and need no sun protection, the leaves not even burning, and a pretty impressive crop of delicious fruit...which I have a hard time getting others to taste. The Peterson cultivars are supposed to be highly superior, much bigger than what my fruit I get now, these ready to fall of or e picked with first week of September. I simply LOVE this fruit and have ten all inter spread amongst their more tropical cousins, cherimoyas and Atemoyas, which thrice here if you water them enough. Hope I have been of some help, Guy