Edible Landscaping is a good choice. Potted pawpaws will be pretty small most likely, either that or shipping can be $$. I've ordered most of my pawpaws bareroot and those are generally best planted in early spring.

Pawpaws are are sometimes tricky to establish and it is commonly recommended that you shade the plants for the first season (depending on how small/young the plants are. As I've planted bareroot ones, which are generally larger, I have not had to shade any of mine.

You chose good varieties (I have Shananndoah among others) and I've heard good things about the others. I tried grafting Mango this year, but I don't think weather cooperated enough for it to take.

You on will need to keep these plants well watered, and naturally they like areas with soil that retains water well. Do not amend the planting hole, your goal is to encourage the roots to grow out in search of sustenance, not spiral around and around in the best soil that you amended. DO mulch well (and if you have compost or other "amendments" put them down on the surface before you mulch. Don't make the mistake of planting too deeply. When all is done the first feeder roots should be just under the mulch or just below the compost surface. Keep the mulch a couple inches from the stem and go out a couple feet.

if deer are a regular problem, you will definitely want to protect them. Although I find that for me possums and raccoons are a problem as well.

Im jealous as I've never made it to the pawpaw festival. I'm close enough but as a teacher there is no way I can fit that into my schedule at that time of year.

other good nurseries are www.nuttrees.com and www.burntridgenursery.com as well as rolling river nursery.

Chills

My two cents:

I just bought two paw paws from Edible Landscaping this past spring. I live in central MD and made a trip down to the nursery and picked up my plants (If you have time, or a weekend to kill it is a beautiful area to explore lots of microbrewery/restaurants in the area and the Edible Landscaping nursery has a lot of cool plants to look at and impulse buy lol). They were insanely busy when I visited so I attribute that to the short replies that I got through email as well. The varieties I bought were Allegheny and Susquehanna. I was able to sample these two varieties plus Shenandoah last fall. All were very good quality. Allegheny had the richest tropical flavor of the the three varieties. Susquehanna was a close 2nd in flavor and also had a firmer texture. Shenandoah was sweet and good but didnt have the same intense tropical flavor (IMO). Grafted trees from what I understand can be planted in direct sun as the graft is coming from a mature tree. I recommend protecting your young trees from wildlife. my Susquehanna had all of its young leaves stripped off by rabbits and is just now leafing back out.

Thank you so much Chills and Paul! That's exactly the type of invaluable advice I needed to hear. I'm feeling much more confidant about growing them now. Traveling to Edible Landscaping does sound really nice but I hate driving and would probably burn more money in gas than the cost of shipping. I was thinking of maybe trying to buy trees at the Ohio festival in September but I'm not sure what varieties would be available or how many they would have (they could sell out before I get there). Then I'd have to plant them in the fall, which probably isn't ideal. I'm going to keep all the seeds I got a hold of though! :)

Tony, pawpaws do much better planted in the spring or early summer. The later you plant, the less chance the roots have to become established before winter. I would try to get them in before mid-July. If later, over-winter them in a place where the roots WILL NOT FREEZE! Mulch heavily in any case. Pawpaws can be grown in most soils, but do not amend the soil. Water. Mulch well and protect from critters. A circular fence around each tree to keep out deer and rabbits is important. A windy site is not ideal--tattered leaves and buffeted fruit--but we play the cards we are dealt. I have a clay hilltop with some wind, but my pawpaws are doing fine. I fertilize heavily in late winter with ammonium sulfate. Keep the pH down.

Kentucky State U and the Ohio Pawpaw Growers Assoc/North American Pawpaw Growers Assoc are your best sources of pawpaw information. The favorite Peterson pawpaws at KSU are Susquehanna and Wabash. Wabash has a dark orange flesh and is very flavorful--large round shape. They love Wabash.

Yes, attend the festival in Athens--fun and info. Stop at the OPGA booth, join and get a free tree. There are usually trees for sale, but generally seedlings. If you can get a deal, buy some seedlings and graft next year with scionwood from good trees in the public domain: NC-1, Sunflower, and Overleese. Grafting is fun and easy. Come to the annual OPGA meeting in Wilmington, OH next May, learn how to graft, and get another free tree! Also get free scionwood.

If you are crazy serious about pawpaws, attend the International Pawpaw Conference at KSU in September. Fantastic event for learning and tasting.

Best wishes,

Marc

Thanks, Marc! I ordered the Shenandoah, Mango, and Allegheny this morning so hopefully they will ship out quickly. I'm now thinking that wind shouldn't be too much of an issue. The windiest days are in winter and early spring when they trees won't have leaves and I have a spot picked out where they should get some protection from a line of trees to the north but still have lots of sun in the summer. I will definitely mulch well and set up some type of structure around the trees and give them shade for the rest of the summer. I would have got a Susquehanna instead of maybe the Allegheny but they were out of those, as well as the Wabash. I will look for a Susquehanna or another late ripening variety at the Ohio festival. Grafting does sound fun, I would really like to try that!