Thats how i germinate most my seeds. Learned to do that in grade school using pumpkin, sunflower , watermelon, cantaloupe seeds. Been doing it ever since .
Been doing Paw Paw for yrs. I take seedling to friends woods to help bring them back into our area and help with wildife. I put my seeds in ziplock bag after I wash them in water and bleach. if i have mold when it comes time to plant I wash in plain bleach and no issues at all
I do love the paper towel method. I wasn't aware that you could layer them. How often do you water your young sprouts (lightly, soaked, somewhere in between)?
Hi, Once potted I like to make sure the soil stays moist on top just in case. Transplanted a few more from all three layers today !! Thanks for checking out the video Mike
I do have a question. When you put them in the container with the paper towels, you said dry paper towels. Do you add water at some point? because I thought you didn't want to let them dry out before planting.
I have some seeds that I want to germinate. If I put them in the fridge now (Sept) will they last until Feb when I want to plant them in Virginia. US Zone 6/7.
I wonder if a weak water and bleach solution on the towels would hurt them. It would stop mold. I had mold get on pawpaw and chestnut seeds I’ve sprouted in peat moss. I’ve got a bunch of Texas Mountain Laurel and Tupelo seeds in my oven now. The pilot light keeps them at 75 to 80 degrees when I crack the door barely open. I put as many pots as I can fit in there.
Hi James. I have read and used a diluted hydrogen peroxide mixture for mold on seeds. I am not an expert by any stretch but I feel it would be less harsh on the seeds VS bleach.
Hi, I am in zone 5a. But I like to call it zone 4b. I do not have any trees at fruiting age on my farm, but there are some people north of me that have fruiting trees. It’s truly a trial and error. I planted all my rows tightly. 2 to 4 foot spacing and all my trees are grown from seed. My hope is to find a few strong trees out of the bunch and start grafting them.
I'm using a heating mat this year to get them going fast hopefully getting allot more growth in a season my method's similar but I'm using a humidity dome with a strainer and damp cloth this should allow them to breathe a little reducing mold as I will water the seeds periodically. I believe the seeds like to sprout with soil temps at 80-90*F, so I'll set the temp to 85*F.
I think maybe pawpaws enjoy cool roots- Our earth stays fairly cold all summer- around 56 degrees F if you go even a few inches deep- Hope it worked for u though- if not- it was probably the heating mat- a lot of seeds like that deep heat- but I believe some don’t- like Paw paws and cold weather crops- but- have a fabulous day!
That is HOT for pawpaw, i fear you are going to cook them and have rot. They grow well in cold climates....soil temp never gets that high. Everyone thinking they know better than mama nature....jeez. she has kept this tree alive for thousands of years...DO WHAT SHE DOES ffs. 🙄
Hi. I do the same but will try layering the paper towel layers next time. Dithery do have a few more sprouting roots every week as time goes on. Just wondering where you get your tree band pots? I can’t find them online in Ontario. Thanks!
Hi Ian, I grabbed the tree band pots from Stuewe & Sons Inc in the US. I found the price even with importing them much cheaper than buying them in Canada. www.stuewe.com/ Thanks for checking out our Video Mike
It's September now. Do I cold stratify them now for 60 days, or keep them dry until November and then stratify? I mean, do I need to time it so they sprout in the spring?
KEEP WET. Dry seeds are dead seeds. And the stratification is 120 days, not 60. People all failing by trying to rush the process. It takes up to 10 years for it to produce fruit, so why try to rush germination? Follow what mama nature does and BE PATIENT. These are SLOW, slow, slow. Patience is key. I will stratify in fridge, but I want them to sprout in soil....that tap root grows quickly the first year....TALL pots also (mentioned in video)
Hi Mike, I am new to growing my own paw paws, after 25 years living in the city I was finally able to move back to the country. I'm a bit confused about scarification and stratification. My real question is if the trees fruited in Aug/Sep and you didnt put the seeds in the refrigerator until Jan, what did you do with the seeds before the refrigerator? Any help would be appreciated.
Hi. The seeds I receive have been left in rotten fruit since harvest in the fall. Refrigerated as well. I do cold stratify them again once I remove them from the fruit, but could most likely move straight to germination.
I have a lo al grower that smears the rotten fruit in weedy areas around their property and covers with mulch and by year two has really healthy 1-2ft saplings
I keep mine in the refrigerator for a minimum of 100 days, you could stretch it out to all winter if it’s more convenient. I’ve even had a few that didn’t germinate one year that germinated after a second winter of stratification.
Thank you for your video! Is room temp (70 deg F) good for germination? I cold stratified in ziplocs in peat moss- thoughts on leaving a bit of peat moss to conserve moisture between the moist paper towels in Tupperware slightly cracked open? Thank you!
I did pawpaws from seed about 4 years ago>>.did not stratify>>>i put them in a laundry basket of dirt>>literally>>>and stuck that basket in a GIANT clear plastic bag,so i could keep it moist,,,under a seed light>>>because you can not let them dry out>>>>>and that root will grow>>>>>>all i did was after the last frost I cut that basket and slipped the whole thing in a hole>>>they are 4-f foot tall this year...They like neighbors and that stalk is so thin they need the extra neighbors to keep them all safe>>>EVERY SEED PROPIGATED and gave me a tree>>EVERY SEED
I'm trying to develop a new pawpaw variety with superior fruit. How many pawpaw seedlings, do you suppose, are needed before I have a 50% chance of successfully developing a new variety with superior fruit? 100 seedlings, 1000, 10k, or more? I'm starting with seeds that were cross pollinated from cultivars with superior fruit themselves in an attempt to help the odds.
@@benmorris1657 I think every new seed can become a "new cultivar", so long as it it is named/numbered. But not every new cultivar is a superior cultivar. Superior would have to produce something substantially better than a natural/wild variety.
I've tried this method two years in a row with literally zero success. After four months (around mid-May), I give up, then bury 10 seeds in one tree pot and eventually about 80% sprout. Then I let them sit in the tree pot until they go dormant for winter, at that point, I cut open the tree pot and separate all of them and repot them in individual tree pots. I do not know why I can't get a single seed to sprout with the paper towels, but then they sprout so readily when I bury them.
I wonder if its a temperature thing. Try putting your tray on a seedling heat mat? I have done this and it works, BUT you need to switch out the paper towel because the extra heat causes mold on the paper towel.
@@HagonjonesHomestead one year I did a heat mat and the other year I did not. I also switched the paper towel out as soon as I saw any significant mold growth. I know that pawpaws are finicky, so I just assume that it's the particular variety of seeds I'm getting. I harvest all of my pawpaw fruit from one location and save the seeds. I feel like if I acquired my seeds elsewhere, I might have more success with that method.
The paper towels need to be damp throw them in zip lock bag over winter if in warmer weather you can remove outer brown layer but still put in frig with damp towels for a month slow embryo growth
@@tomikoprichard6932 I followed directions, literally to a T two years in a row and it didn't work. I then dropped those exact seeds in dirt and 80% of them popped up.
@@Savage3OO6 its your process. Learn about stratification and what the plant does NATURALLY. That is what you are missing. You are giving up before they will sprout. May? 😢 you might be throwing away viable seeds. Wait til July. That is when they naturally sprout. I also see better success in dirt than towels. If stratified in the fridge (instead of winter sowing) after 120 days in the fridge, put into dirt at 1-2" deep. It will take another 2 months before they begin to show. PATIENCE IS KEY. Everyones process is different, more than one way to germinate a pawpaw. Personally, sowing into pots, keeping them moist over winter and protected from hard freezes, seems to be the closest to mama nature and yeilds the best result. But, I would be happy to sell you stratified seeds in the spring if thats easier for you. 😉 i am sold out now.
Had horrible luck 40+ seeds not 1 germinated. Soaked in water for 2 hours , cleaned and stratified in fridge for 4 months. In a peet moss /vermiculite mix . Very disappointed
Hi Maekar, How long have you had them outside of the Fridge? They need the warmth of being at room temperature to start to pop and can take months to start Mine, some are still germinating months later, Mike
@Hagon - Jones Homestead I collected them last year late October2022. Stratified immediately for 120 days. Pulled and placed in long tree nursery pots they've been in greenhouse since February of this year.
Have you opened one up to see if the seed has started to send out a tap root? Pawpaws spend a long time sending a tap root deep into the soil before they send a shoot above the soil surface.
If you want to help stop mold, sprinkle cinnamon on your paper towels.
Cool Idea, Thank you
Thats how i germinate most my seeds. Learned to do that in grade school using pumpkin, sunflower , watermelon, cantaloupe seeds. Been doing it ever since .
Thanks for sharing,
Have a fantastic summer
thank you for the share!👍
Thank you too
It's 1/17/24 how are they doing now? I hope really well!!! I'm about to take seeds out of the fridge and give it a go.
They did do well. Sold the bulk of them and trying to overwinter the remainder on my shop.
Do you have a video detailing the construction and working of that impressive greenhouse?
Thanks Scott. We love the greenhouse. Main windows are recycled sliding patio doors and the roof is rigid clear greenhouse panels.
Can you provide an estimate for how moist you made the paper towel sandwich before you put them in the fridge to stratify?
Very interesting. I want to try this. I have propogated all kinds of seeds. So where do I get Paw Paw seeds? I'm in Stouffville, Ontario. Thanks
I have a friend who sells fruit in Toronto. At the end of the year, he sends me all his discarded fruit, and I harvest the seeds from it.
Been doing Paw Paw for yrs. I take seedling to friends woods to help bring them back into our area and help with wildife. I put my seeds in ziplock bag after I wash them in water and bleach. if i have mold when it comes time to plant I wash in plain bleach and no issues at all
That is awesome!
I do love the paper towel method. I wasn't aware that you could layer them. How often do you water your young sprouts (lightly, soaked, somewhere in between)?
Hi, Once potted I like to make sure the soil stays moist on top just in case.
Transplanted a few more from all three layers today !!
Thanks for checking out the video
Mike
@@HagonjonesHomestead Thank you
I do have a question. When you put them in the container with the paper towels, you said dry paper towels. Do you add water at some point? because I thought you didn't want to let them dry out before planting.
Yes, I wet the paper towel after I have placed all the seeds in.
Thank you, I’m glad to see you posting again!
Thank you very much!! I am glad to be back
I have some seeds that I want to germinate. If I put them in the fridge now (Sept) will they last until Feb when I want to plant them in Virginia. US Zone 6/7.
I would give it a shot. The cold should slow them down!!
I wonder if a weak water and bleach solution on the towels would hurt them. It would stop mold. I had mold get on pawpaw and chestnut seeds I’ve sprouted in peat moss. I’ve got a bunch of Texas Mountain Laurel and Tupelo seeds in my oven now. The pilot light keeps them at 75 to 80 degrees when I crack the door barely open. I put as many pots as I can fit in there.
Hi James.
I have read and used a diluted hydrogen peroxide mixture for mold on seeds. I am not an expert by any stretch but I feel it would be less harsh on the seeds VS bleach.
I've used cinnamon to keep mold away, and it works well with all my seeds.
What zone are you in? I’m in northern lower mi zone 5a. I’ve been warned that my paw paw trees will not fruit north of Flint
Hi, I am in zone 5a. But I like to call it zone 4b. I do not have any trees at fruiting age on my farm, but there are some people north of me that have fruiting trees.
It’s truly a trial and error. I planted all my rows tightly. 2 to 4 foot spacing and all my trees are grown from seed. My hope is to find a few strong trees out of the bunch and start grafting them.
I'm using a heating mat this year to get them going fast hopefully getting allot more growth in a season my method's similar but I'm using a humidity dome with a strainer and damp cloth this should allow them to breathe a little reducing mold as I will water the seeds periodically. I believe the seeds like to sprout with soil temps at 80-90*F, so I'll set the temp to 85*F.
Please let me know how it goes. I’ve always shied away from heating mats.
I think maybe pawpaws enjoy cool roots- Our earth stays fairly cold all summer- around 56 degrees F if you go even a few inches deep- Hope it worked for u though- if not- it was probably the heating mat- a lot of seeds like that deep heat- but I believe some don’t- like Paw paws and cold weather crops- but- have a fabulous day!
That is HOT for pawpaw, i fear you are going to cook them and have rot. They grow well in cold climates....soil temp never gets that high.
Everyone thinking they know better than mama nature....jeez. she has kept this tree alive for thousands of years...DO WHAT SHE DOES ffs. 🙄
Question Did you stratisfy the seeds in the container in a dark environment or a light one?
I put them into the fridge, so 95% dark LOL until I get hungry ....
Hi. I do the same but will try layering the paper towel layers next time. Dithery do have a few more sprouting roots every week as time goes on. Just wondering where you get your tree band pots? I can’t find them online in Ontario. Thanks!
Hi Ian,
I grabbed the tree band pots from Stuewe & Sons Inc in the US. I found the price even with importing them much cheaper than buying them in Canada.
www.stuewe.com/
Thanks for checking out our Video
Mike
Roughly how long does it take I have some that I got from a friend but he said he is having issues anyway awesome channel
It really varies, wondering what temperature the seeds are sitting at? 16 to 21 Celsius seems to be the temp they need to sprout
It's September now. Do I cold stratify them now for 60 days, or keep them dry until November and then stratify? I mean, do I need to time it so they sprout in the spring?
Interesting question. I'm interested in the answer as well. Please tag me with the answer
I'd like to know too!
KEEP WET. Dry seeds are dead seeds.
And the stratification is 120 days, not 60.
People all failing by trying to rush the process. It takes up to 10 years for it to produce fruit, so why try to rush germination?
Follow what mama nature does and BE PATIENT. These are SLOW, slow, slow. Patience is key.
I will stratify in fridge, but I want them to sprout in soil....that tap root grows quickly the first year....TALL pots also (mentioned in video)
Keeping the seeds in the fridge longer than 60 days will not hurt the seeds. I would not let them dry out as it could hinder the germination
Hi Mike,
I am new to growing my own paw paws, after 25 years living in the city I was finally able to move back to the country. I'm a bit confused about scarification and stratification. My real question is if the trees fruited in Aug/Sep and you didnt put the seeds in the refrigerator until Jan, what did you do with the seeds before the refrigerator? Any help would be appreciated.
Hi.
The seeds I receive have been left in rotten fruit since harvest in the fall. Refrigerated as well. I do cold stratify them again once I remove them from the fruit, but could most likely move straight to germination.
I have a lo al grower that smears the rotten fruit in weedy areas around their property and covers with mulch and by year two has really healthy 1-2ft saplings
I keep mine in the refrigerator for a minimum of 100 days, you could stretch it out to all winter if it’s more convenient. I’ve even had a few that didn’t germinate one year that germinated after a second winter of stratification.
So they germinate while still in the fridge? Or you pull them out after 60 days and leave at room temp in the container?
Room temperature or slightly warmer
Awesome information! Do you only sell these locally?
I buy all my seeds from Incredible Seeds in Canada
How many weeks the seeds took to sprout? Thank you
Hi.
Pawpaw seeds are very different. Some take 2-3 weeks and some 2-3 months.
Hope this helps
Mike
@@HagonjonesHomestead Thank you
My stratified seeds start sprouting in late May and continue sprouting until September.
Hi Mike, I'm not far from you in eastern Ontario. Any chance you would be selling some pawpaw seedlings this summer?
Hi Grant,
I have seedlings popping up that I planted in March. If you reach out in august or early September I should have a bunch
@@HagonjonesHomestead Excellent! I will do that. Thanks!
Thank you for your video! Is room temp (70 deg F) good for germination? I cold stratified in ziplocs in peat moss- thoughts on leaving a bit of peat moss to conserve moisture between the moist paper towels in Tupperware slightly cracked open? Thank you!
Yep, room temperature is perfect, Leaving the Tupperware cracked open is a must !!
I did pawpaws from seed about 4 years ago>>.did not stratify>>>i put them in a laundry basket of dirt>>literally>>>and stuck that basket in a GIANT clear plastic bag,so i could keep it moist,,,under a seed light>>>because you can not let them dry out>>>>>and that root will grow>>>>>>all i did was after the last frost I cut that basket and slipped the whole thing in a hole>>>they are 4-f foot tall this year...They like neighbors and that stalk is so thin they need the extra neighbors to keep them all safe>>>EVERY SEED PROPIGATED and gave me a tree>>EVERY SEED
Amazing Violet ! Thanks for sharing. Planted a 100ft row of trees last year and planted them tight. hopefully that kept them safe !
@HagonjonesHomestead neighbors as in other types of trees
What soil mix do you use?
I am using Promix BX
I'm trying to develop a new pawpaw variety with superior fruit. How many pawpaw seedlings, do you suppose, are needed before I have a 50% chance of successfully developing a new variety with superior fruit? 100 seedlings, 1000, 10k, or more? I'm starting with seeds that were cross pollinated from cultivars with superior fruit themselves in an attempt to help the odds.
I have been wondering at what point do they count as a 'new' cultivar.
@@benmorris1657 I think every new seed can become a "new cultivar", so long as it it is named/numbered. But not every new cultivar is a superior cultivar. Superior would have to produce something substantially better than a natural/wild variety.
This is WAY out of my league !!
@@GrahamSEdwards
Very cool man. You can do it!
Would you be able to sell any pawpaw seeds or any seedling?
Unfortunately I am all out for the season. I will have more next spring.
I've tried this method two years in a row with literally zero success. After four months (around mid-May), I give up, then bury 10 seeds in one tree pot and eventually about 80% sprout. Then I let them sit in the tree pot until they go dormant for winter, at that point, I cut open the tree pot and separate all of them and repot them in individual tree pots. I do not know why I can't get a single seed to sprout with the paper towels, but then they sprout so readily when I bury them.
I wonder if its a temperature thing. Try putting your tray on a seedling heat mat? I have done this and it works, BUT you need to switch out the paper towel because the extra heat causes mold on the paper towel.
@@HagonjonesHomestead one year I did a heat mat and the other year I did not. I also switched the paper towel out as soon as I saw any significant mold growth. I know that pawpaws are finicky, so I just assume that it's the particular variety of seeds I'm getting. I harvest all of my pawpaw fruit from one location and save the seeds. I feel like if I acquired my seeds elsewhere, I might have more success with that method.
The paper towels need to be damp throw them in zip lock bag over winter if in warmer weather you can remove outer brown layer but still put in frig with damp towels for a month slow embryo growth
@@tomikoprichard6932 I followed directions, literally to a T two years in a row and it didn't work. I then dropped those exact seeds in dirt and 80% of them popped up.
@@Savage3OO6 its your process. Learn about stratification and what the plant does NATURALLY. That is what you are missing. You are giving up before they will sprout.
May? 😢 you might be throwing away viable seeds. Wait til July. That is when they naturally sprout. I also see better success in dirt than towels. If stratified in the fridge (instead of winter sowing) after 120 days in the fridge, put into dirt at 1-2" deep. It will take another 2 months before they begin to show.
PATIENCE IS KEY.
Everyones process is different, more than one way to germinate a pawpaw. Personally, sowing into pots, keeping them moist over winter and protected from hard freezes, seems to be the closest to mama nature and yeilds the best result.
But, I would be happy to sell you stratified seeds in the spring if thats easier for you. 😉 i am sold out now.
Hi. Are you located in Canada. How to order seeds. Thanks
Hi. I am in Canada but do not sell seeds unfortunately
Hi again. Do you have any idea where can I get the seeds in Canada of course. Thanks
Hi, Maybe incredible seeds? www.incredibleseeds.ca/ or Etsy?
I just got my seeds. Hope to get some seeds started this weekend. I've wanted some for about 4 years. Finally found some.
This to me seams like soursop seeds.
Cool
No surprise, they're from the same family.
Had horrible luck 40+ seeds not 1 germinated.
Soaked in water for 2 hours , cleaned and stratified in fridge for 4 months. In a peet moss /vermiculite mix
. Very disappointed
Hi Maekar,
How long have you had them outside of the Fridge? They need the warmth of being at room temperature to start to pop and can take months to start
Mine, some are still germinating months later,
Mike
@Hagon - Jones Homestead I collected them last year late October2022.
Stratified immediately for 120 days.
Pulled and placed in long tree nursery pots they've been in greenhouse since February of this year.
Have you opened one up to see if the seed has started to send out a tap root?
Pawpaws spend a long time sending a tap root deep into the soil before they send a shoot above the soil surface.
@@HagonjonesHomestead pulled all the soil and not 1 tap root from any of them.
Shoot, that's a tough break