Do the seed coats need scarifying? You could buy a papaya from the market and try again with stacks of free seeds. Have you kept them moist? Now that the weather is warming up (winter back again towards the weekend, apparently) I'd be inclined to put them in a plastic bag somewhere with an even temperature. I would guess that they need 65 to 75 to germinate.

They're not terribly beautiful plants - they remind me of those spindly spring cabbage plants with a long knobbly stalk and a tuft of scraggy foliage at the top, but bigger and more tropical. But don't let me put you off!

I've just sprouted some - they took a couple of weeks, and I put the pot on a radiator and on windowsill when it was sunny. The tricky bit is keeping the poor things alive when autumn comes, even indoors!

According to the 'how to' book - wash the seed, remove the sticky cover using a coarse sieve. Air dry the seeds and store in an air tight container. Sow in summer, or on a hot bed in a well-drained growing medium. Water frequently, preferably with a fungicide to prevent damping off. Harden by gradually reducing the amount of shade and plant out when about 20cm tall.

As the sex of the seedlings remains unknown until until flowering, seedlings are usually planted out in groups of three or four and the male plants are usually removed later unless wanted.

The article goes on to warn that they have a 'complicated sex life'... but the true pawpaw is self-fertile.

The male flowers are long and funnel shaped. The female flowers are close to the trunk.

The Mountain Pawpaw is a possibility for a very sheltered and cosy spot. Smaller fruit but definitely edible.

You don't need to worry about removing the cover of the seeds. They sprout fine without, in about two weeks. Airing cuboard best if you have one - tempeartures need to be over 20 degrees. Definitely have to be indoors in winter unless you have a sub-tropical climate.