My goal eventually is to test and trial what will produce decently in containers and focus on keeping them happy and producing. A fantasy would be having a collection of large trunk diameter partially bonsai fruiting trees, producing well in containers ranging from 12-30 gal.  I recently ordered a Silas Woods Sapodilla and Naranjilla (Solanum pseudolulo) from Logees. I am hoping they come in soon, both should preform well in containers.

Ahh, yes- the dream of a productive tropical fruit plant in a small container is one I've been pursuing for 30 years...  With occasional success.  I got the Naranjilla offering from Logee's last February (different species-- Solanum quitoense) and it has been happy and blooming in a 7 gallon container.  If I'd had my act together in the fall when it needed to come back inside, I'd probably have ripe fruit by now.

I've had great success using the fabric "Smart Pots" for containers- they seem to encourage a much bushier and more resilient root system for plants you want to keep for years, and seem to grow a larger, healthier plant than an identical-size plastic or clay pot, at least in my trials.  Counter-intuitively, the breathable fabric pots seem to keep my tropicals happier when they are outdoors for the summer, even during highly-desiccating dry, hot wind.  The fabric pots also don't seem to blow over in high wind like plastic and clay pots will.

    Kevin

Hello and thanks for the welcome.

I suspect very few pawpaw trees have been tried in the Denver area (what's locally called the "Front Range", right along the base of the Rocky Mountains) because their ideal growing environment- acidic, well-drained soil with protection from wind, moderate to high humidity-- is not what we have here.  We get 70-100 MPH winds blowing down off the mountains several times a year, very low humidity, and we have alkaline, non-draining bentonite clay soil.  A pickaxe is usually required if it gets dry and you need to dig a hole.  A pawpaw tree haphazardly placed in the ground here has little chance of survival.  With proper siting, on top of a hill for drainage, protected from wind by buildings and other trees, it appears it is possible to grow them in this area.

I planted two pawpaw trees (seedlings) about 12 years ago, about 6 feet apart.  One died after 3 years, the other has now been blooming for the past 3 years but has yet to bear a fruit.  Last year I did a search through local plant societies and found what was widely believed (among the social plant enthusiasts, anyhow) to be the only blooming pawpaw tree along the front range.  It was also planted about 12 years ago as one of two grafted plants; according to the owner, both grafts died and re-sprouted from the rootstock, then one of his trees died entirely.  He has had fruit form on his remaining tree, so it must be self-fertile.  Mine certainly doesn't seem to be, and even after exchanging pollen with his tree last year, I still didn't get fruit.

Last summer I planted 6 more grafted pawpaws, but it will likely be a few years before they bloom.  I'm planning on harvesting some budwood from some of my grafted pawpaws to attempt grafts onto my mature tree this spring; if I get lucky I'll be able to try the selected varieties in 2013!  I'm still hoping I can successfully cross-pollinate it with the other tree 70 miles away this spring to see if my seedling's fruit is even worth eating.

   Kevin