Hello, my first post on Gardenweb. On my property there are many wild apple trees, but a couple years ago I decided to plant an orchard of known cultivars. Then last year I got into rare and exotic fruits. One of which was the pawpaw. I planted about 30 small trees last year, and another 30 this year. Generally they are all doing well, I have only lost one tree, a Rappahannock. Fastest growers are the Pennsylvania Golden and the Overleese. One of my PAG's just passed 5 feet tall. I have found that you never want to take a Pawpaw that leafed out under low light conditions, and plant it in full sun. If the tree leafed out in full sun, then it can handle it. I water them quite a lot, which seems to make them grow faster, and resist large amounts of sunlight. Like Ken said, the taproot is very sensitive, but a good healthy taproot will make the tree much resistant to less than ideal conditions. When I dug the holes to plant the trees, I bored out a 3 foot by 4" diameter hole down the center and filled it with topsoil. This gives the taproot a big boost to grow deep. I mulch around the trees with grass clippings, and they seem to like this. Maybe next year I will get some fruit.

Has anyone ever done work with the Australian desert lime . What crossbreeds are possible ?

I've had a lot of great opportunities and experiences. Not all are things that could only be done "once in a lifetime" but I'd say that there are many things that just don't have the same impact the second time around.. or at another point in our lives. I had the opportunity to live in South Africa as an exchange student in the very early 80s. I was on the eastern coast and watched dolphins in the ocean from my classroom window, hiked the drakensburg mountains, saw many different sides of the beautiful and pained country, and had afternoon tea with Alan Paton (author of Cry, The Beloved Country-- which was the reason I chose RSA as my host country). In many ways, I was far too young for such a great experience. I would like to return one day but it will never have the same impact. The country is changing and my world view has changed. As a recent college grad, I received a full scholarship for a PhD program at a university in a very academically focused region of the country. I ended up dropping out of the program but the experience was incredible-- just living in an area with so very many interesting, intelligent and academically-focused folks was exhilarating. It was also a very self-indulgent phase of my life. Yes, there were great demands on my time as it was a highly competitive program -- but the luxury of a scholarship w/stipend allowed me to focus only on my studies and my outside interests. I was surely on a small budget lol.. but it was one of the happiest times of my life. At that same time, I had a boyfriend whose family had a large cottage on an island in Lake Winnepausakee. Our bedroom window opened up to a beautiful view of Mount Washington. A simple experience-- but one that has stuck with me. We spent many weekends and breaks in that home-- where our days were planned around grand meals cooked in the simple, vintage kitchen. We percolated coffee on the stove, made scones, french bread and pasta from scratch, collected morels in the woods. I was blessed with many wonderful meals and memories. There are a number of experiences I've had on trips that I surely COULD do again but probably won't. Mtnrd mentioned the SF Opera which is one of my favorite travel memories-- located in the high desert, the roof of the amphitheater was retracted to allow the starry blue night to serve as the backdrop and ceiling. I can't put into words how very breathtaking it was. One that stands out for a number of reasons is being present when my youngest nephew was born. My BIL had just had back surgery and while he was in the room with my sister-- but he was in a hospital bed. I was to jump in and take over as birth partner. Truth is, I was a terrible birth partner. I was paralyzed as labor progressed-- and while she had a VERY short labor/delivery, it was horrifying for me to watch. Yeah, yeah, I know. It's a miracle.. and surely the birth of my nephew was extraordinary, but it was one of the most UNnatural things I've ever witnessed lol! The family joke is that my sis forgot the pain in seconds.. and it scarred me for life. :) What's my next YOLO? Not sure. I plan to start a business in the next 5 yr. I'd like to travel to Sweden to meet my extended family. I'd like to do an extended language immersion/cooking trip. But here's the thing with YOLO's.. you don't always get to plan them well in advance, you never know what opportunities are around the corner. :)

Yes, and love it! Husband gifted one years back, so now an outdated model, but similar to this - http://tinyurl.com/ho7xoah Mine has a blue-white light with several intensities & adjustable focus. Never attracted bugs (and there are plenty here). Actually can see in more detail than daylight & even use it during the day for shady spots. Easy to adjust the straps to fit. Sometimes wear it over a baseball cap & other times over a terry stretch headband worn like a sweatband - comfortable & lightweight either way. Already had an adjustable construction lamp mounted on a telescoping tripod that plugs in & also used a hanging mechanic's lamp like Patty for more concentrated efforts, along with lanterns & gooseneck flashlights that sit on the ground. Often gardened in the evenings into the night when that was the only time available. Now it's just to beat the heat or when the mood strikes...