I've bought pecan trees that came from Forrest Keeling. Their RPM method seems to produce a nice dense root ball and all five trees have done well. I got four of them through a commercial pecan plantation because FK doesn't normally sell to the public anywhere but at their nursery. However, I also got one tree at the University of Missouri chestnut festival. FK had a booth there and were selling various nut trees. It might be worth contacting them to see if perhaps they would be setting up a booth at any functions you could attend, if their location is too distant to consider the trip. I've been happy enough with their products that I would consider the two hour drive if there was a particular plant I wanted. I think their RPM method has been copied by a number of other nurseries....or maybe they copied it...when you read the description is seems pretty logical. For instance, some English walnuts I bought from Stark were in the same kind of pots FK describes. Don't know if Stark buys from them (they are neighbors) or just uses the same pots. As to pawpaws, some FK pawpaws are listed as Petersons, and if I wanted to try that fruit I'd probably buy from them. Chuck

Asimina triloba does best in deep, well-drained, fertile, slightly acid soil. It needs ample moisture when small but is able to do well with average moisture when established. It has a low drought tolerance. If you are wanting fruit (pawpaws) later on, I'd recommend planting in full sun. Production drops off significantly in shaded conditions. The tree does benefit significantly from shade during it's first and possibly second year. I often provide a wire cage (for predation prevention) with a shadecloth covering. I cover the entire cage with 50% shadecloth, and then remove the top after the first year. The shadecloth is completely removed after the second year. Tall grass or a big cedar tree would probably provide some shade but would also provide plenty of moisture/nutrient competition for the young tree. I have seen pawpaws re-leaf after they looked dead, but the situation doesn't sound good. Your trees are stressed, at best.

Hi Ano, I have some very small (American) persimmon seedlings. You are welcome to some; bear in mind that most persimmons require both a male and a female closeby for pollination and fruit production. So about 50% chance of that with 3 seedlings, sex unknown. However: the cultivar 'Meader' is unusual in that it is parthenocarpic -- it sets large fruit, with a few sterile seeds generally, *without* a pollinator. So that might be worth the additional time and expense to procure? Also note that many opinions exist as to the best-tasting American persimmon; I considered putting in a 'Prok' also but decided to use the space for Chinese mulberries instead. Another cheap possible source: state university nurseries generally raise and sell a variety of trees, once-a year, bareroot, in the late autumn. These sales are usually not well publicized. -- Stan in Hamilton, NJ 609.731.3882

I've been growing paw paws from seed for many years. Don't wait until January to put them in the refrigerator. Seeds should not be left to dry out nor frozen. Forget about the styrofoam cups. If you want to plant some outdoors, put them in a protected spot, mulch, and mark where they are. If they germinate you won't see them emerge before next July at the earliest. The best approach I've found is to put them in a container with moist (not sopping wet) potting soil or surrounded by damp paper towels. Put them in the refrigerator as soon as you get them (don't freeze). After about 90 days you may take them out and plant them about one inch deep in separate pots . Use pots preferably at least 10 inches high (25cm). If you see some mold on the surface of the seeds don't worry; it doesn't mean the seeds are ruined. Put them in the warmest part of the house and then be patient. It takes several months for them to germinate once they are warmed up. Doing it this way gives them the whole Summer growing season which makes a significant difference in their size the first season. The seeds will first put out a fairly long root before anything shows above the surface. They may look like they've been broken off when they do emerge because they leave the cotyledons behind in the seed coat and don't have cotyledon leaves like most (dicot) plants. Once the weather warms up, move them outdoors in a protected location with shade during the midday. Good luck