Author Topic: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw  (Read 1903 times)

Polypterus

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Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« on: August 16, 2021, 12:46:53 PM »
I noticed this a couple days ago on my pawpaw tree, and wasn't sure if it is normal for this plant, or if I should be concerned.








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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2021, 02:39:30 PM »
Are the first couple pictures older than the last couple? Looks almost like a before and after but not sure.
Definitely something is wrong, unfortunately. They should not look like that.
Is this a seedling or grafted tree? When did you plant it? Was it previously in a container or was it purchased bare root?
How much water/rain has it been given?
Any fertilizer?

Those answers will help diagnose. Sorry for the struggle you’re having.

Polypterus

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2021, 03:32:54 PM »
Those are not before and after pictures, the first two pictures are from the lower two branches, while the last two pictures are of the smaller, upper two branches. I purchased it on ebay about 2 months ago as a year 2 bareroot seedling. I soaked it in water for 30 minutes, then planted it. It's been fairly rainy here, so I haven't been watering it unless we haven't gotten rain for a week or so. On average I'd say it gets rain 1-3 times a week. There have been some weeks where it's gotten no rain, and others where it received rain 3-5 days out of the week. I fertilized it once with fox farm grow big about 2-4 weeks after I planted it, but haven't done anything after that. I scratched the bark in multiple places, including the tip of the branches near the wilted leaves, and the base of the tree, and it's still green underneath.

Polypterus

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2021, 04:04:44 PM »
Those are not before and after pictures, the first two pictures are from the lower two branches, while the last two pictures are of the smaller, upper two branches. I purchased it on ebay about 2 months ago as a year 2 bareroot seedling. I soaked it in water for 30 minutes, then planted it. It's been fairly rainy here, so I haven't been watering it unless we haven't gotten rain for a week or so. On average I'd say it gets rain 1-3 times a week. There have been some weeks where it's gotten no rain, and others where it received rain 3-5 days out of the week. I fertilized it once with fox farm grow big about 2-4 weeks after I planted it, but haven't done anything after that. I scratched the bark in multiple places, including the tip of the branches near the wilted leaves, and the base of the tree, and it's still green underneath.
In fact we're getting another good rain now. I doubt it's not getting enough water.

Plantinyum

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2021, 02:27:34 AM »
U should remove the mulch and check the soil moisture, one to two times a week if its very hot may not be enough for the plant, especially if its a several months old bare root tree.
Bare rooted plants in my practice need to be babied for at least a season, I would recommend not buying bare rooted plants, unless you're at the site and can check several factors like live roots and such...

gardenhoe

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2021, 05:52:15 AM »
if it is an established tree and is getting enough water it might be that it is in too sunny of a spot. Pawpaws are an understory trees and can be finicky, I killed about a half dozen because I tried to plant some that I dug up in the woods. they have a long taproot and if disturbed will not always tolerate being moved. Two of the four I have were grown from seedling the other two are grafted.

Polypterus

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2021, 09:16:29 AM »
U should remove the mulch and check the soil moisture, one to two times a week if its very hot may not be enough for the plant, especially if its a several months old bare root tree.
Bare rooted plants in my practice need to be babied for at least a season, I would recommend not buying bare rooted plants, unless you're at the site and can check several factors like live roots and such...
We're getting rain all through the week, so I'll see if it starts to look better after that.

Polypterus

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2021, 09:18:53 AM »
if it is an established tree and is getting enough water it might be that it is in too sunny of a spot. Pawpaws are an understory trees and can be finicky, I killed about a half dozen because I tried to plant some that I dug up in the woods. they have a long taproot and if disturbed will not always tolerate being moved. Two of the four I have were grown from seedling the other two are grafted.
It gets about the same amount of sun as the other 5 pawpaws I planted, and none of the others seem to be having this issue. I even have one plant that's getting more sun than the rest, and it's thriving. All of the plants receive filtered sunlight throughout the day, maybe 2-4 total.

gardenhoe

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2021, 01:22:12 PM »
are they close to any kind of runoff? I lost a tree (not a pawpaw) that I had planted too close to our asphalt driveway. disease would be the only other think I can think of but I don't have nearly the problems with my pawpaws like any of my other trees. You might check just below the mulch line to see if there is any discoloration or insect damage.

Polypterus

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2021, 02:34:55 PM »
are they close to any kind of runoff? I lost a tree (not a pawpaw) that I had planted too close to our asphalt driveway. disease would be the only other think I can think of but I don't have nearly the problems with my pawpaws like any of my other trees. You might check just below the mulch line to see if there is any discoloration or insect damage.
No discoloration on the base of the stem, and there shouldn't be any runoff. They're in my back yard, which is backed up against 4-6 other house's yards, so there isn't a road close to it.

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2021, 06:11:46 PM »
The other pawpaws you mentioned that are ok, were they also bareroot and planted at the same time?

The pics look about like the only 2 bareroot pawpaws I ever ordered. They died in a couple months.
I always tell folks never to order bareroot pawpaws. Not saying it’s impossible but it’s not a good investment.
I know that does little good for you now. I tried everything to save mine - shade, water, but nothing helped.
I would not fertilize any new tree the first year, so don’t add any more ferts.
I would shade it and actually try to avoid watering it. My guess is the roots are stressed and cannot take up the water they normally would. More water may then lead to root rot.

Again, sorry.

Polypterus

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2021, 08:02:11 PM »
The other pawpaws you mentioned that are ok, were they also bareroot and planted at the same time?

The pics look about like the only 2 bareroot pawpaws I ever ordered. They died in a couple months.
I always tell folks never to order bareroot pawpaws. Not saying it’s impossible but it’s not a good investment.
I know that does little good for you now. I tried everything to save mine - shade, water, but nothing helped.
I would not fertilize any new tree the first year, so don’t add any more ferts.
I would shade it and actually try to avoid watering it. My guess is the roots are stressed and cannot take up the water they normally would. More water may then lead to root rot.

Again, sorry.
No need to apologize or pity me, my own ignorance caused this problem. All of my pawpaws were barefoot, but the one doing the best came from a different seller, so maybe it's a different variety that does better bare root?

Where would you recommend I go to purchase non bare root pawpaws? I was shopping on ebay and etsy at the time, and a great majority of them were bare root.

Plantinyum

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #12 on: August 18, 2021, 06:22:05 AM »
The other pawpaws you mentioned that are ok, were they also bareroot and planted at the same time?

The pics look about like the only 2 bareroot pawpaws I ever ordered. They died in a couple months.
I always tell folks never to order bareroot pawpaws. Not saying it’s impossible but it’s not a good investment.
I know that does little good for you now. I tried everything to save mine - shade, water, but nothing helped.
I would not fertilize any new tree the first year, so don’t add any more ferts.
I would shade it and actually try to avoid watering it. My guess is the roots are stressed and cannot take up the water they normally would. More water may then lead to root rot.

Again, sorry.
No need to apologize or pity me, my own ignorance caused this problem. All of my pawpaws were barefoot, but the one doing the best came from a different seller, so maybe it's a different variety that does better bare root?

Where would you recommend I go to purchase non bare root pawpaws? I was shopping on ebay and etsy at the time, and a great majority of them were bare root.
the one from the other seller thats doing better, may be the fact that the seller took care better for the unrooted plant. Here bareroot garden trees/fruit plants get uprooted, packed and tied together ,then planted like that in the soil to wait for the byer.
Thats my theory that the plants in the center of the "sheafs" often do not make a good contact with the soil and moisture around, thus the roots die off.
It really depends on the seller , most of them are like the situation above, but some of them bareroot the plant in the day you order it ,and I think if u find a seller that has this practice ,this is the best bet.
U really need to be at the place when u buy such plants, as I said to check the condition of the plant.
Once I bought two bareroot persimmons , thats before I found out the basics; they had not left them a great amount of roots to begin with, and when I got home and started to freshen the cuts, all of the roots,thick ones were dead back to the stump. I would NEVER sell a plant in such condition , yet its easy enough to fool people ,especially if they do not know what to look for.
Then I bought two more ,from another seller, checked roots, all were good with the scratch test, including the feeder roots which I think are the key to a successfully transplanted plant. Those two took and are now nice looking potted trees.
Sorry for the long post ,just sharing my all cents haha ☺
« Last Edit: August 18, 2021, 06:25:11 AM by Plantinyum »

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #13 on: August 18, 2021, 03:16:50 PM »
For quality, selection, and availability you can’t beat One Green World. They ship in container.
Peaceful Heritage also does, but they have a complicated ordering process and notoriously sell out instantly. To me it’s not worth it.
Charles West out of New Jersey also sells in container.

I’ve had 3 trees from one green world and have been very pleased.

If you’re willing to travel, you could visit Hidden Springs Nursery in Cookeville TN and buy in container. Their trees have been very strong for me. But they SHIP bareroot.

gardenhoe

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #14 on: August 19, 2021, 04:05:41 AM »
Bareroot is probably your problem, pawpaws are incredibly finicky about their taproot, I have only been able to get two non-grafted ones to take.

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Re: Drooping/Wilting new growth on pawpaw
« Reply #15 on: August 20, 2021, 04:56:55 PM »
I see you planted in the spring anyway but another secret to pawpaws is to plant in the spring.
Fall can work but the entire tree is dormant - If the roots are injured, disease can set in.
Conversely, if you plant in spring the tree is active and can defend itself if needed.