Hope this isn't bad forum etiquette to post about non figs?? Sorry if it is, I'm new here and a "trainee" so to speak lol
Because this is a fig forum let me start with...I LOVES ME SOME FIGS!! But I have a paw paw question, and with all the wise fruit tree growers here I thought'd this be the best place to ask :)
I just picked up 3 beautiful paw paws. Shannadoah, Susquehanna and NC 1. Bout 2' tall pencil thick. I'm in zone 6a. Is it too late to plant them?? I could happily overwinter them with the figs and plant them early spring but the mix they're in looks real heavy. Nothing I'd want a tree in, so I'm nervous about root rot when the soil gets cold. But on the other hand frost is around the corner (booooooo) so is there enough time for them to get settled inground?? These trees weren't cheap lol
Thanks :)

If I were you, I'd wait till Spring to plant PawPaws.  I went to the 17th annual PawPaw festival in Ohio last weekend.  It was great!  PawPaws are starting to be my best fruit.  When you taste one...you will be looking for more!  Here is the post I started last week.  

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/ot-ohio-pawpaw-festival-7610599?pid=1288825907

I'm really new here too Kricket, but I recently found myself in the same position as you.. As in last week I finally decided to put the two paw paw trees I bought earlier this summer into the ground. I hesitated earlier in the season because it was so darn hot and I had heard that pawpaws were an understory tree & unable to withstand full sun for the first couple years.. All that I have to offer in my back yard is 100% full sun since its a new construction/build home with zero mature trees on my property. The summer sun here is very intense & unrelenting basically.. On top of that, I worried that there would not be enough time for the pawpaws to get their roots in and settled before the BIG FREEZE sets in (which I am DREADING lol, also in zone 6a).

Anyway to make a long story short, I had my husband build my paw paw trees some artificial shade (out of wood posts & lattice material) and then we dug a really deep hole to accomodate their long & delicate taproots. I was advised by another member here who is very knowledgeable in pawpaws (Bass Trees of Joy) that fall planting was just fine for pawpaws.. As long as they are not bare root trees at least, and from the sound of it you have your pawpaw trees in containers.. Id say go ahead & put those pawpaws in the ground, but If you'd feel safer keeping them in containers until next spring, I think you'd be just fine too though. Do you have a shaded spot picked out for them already?

Perhaps some more experienced members will chime in as well. I believe we have a few experienced pawpaw growers in addition to Bass if my memory serves me correct ;)

I wish you luck In whatever you decide to do!

I was there too DENNIS. I wish I would have known you were there. We could have had a beer together. Next year look me up

If I'm correct I believe planting them once they go dormant will cause less stress on them. I've planted a few over the years that were very thin and small and they all survived just fine. I'm no expert though. I would check out Peterson pawpaws website for lots of info though.

Next year we will hook up! I'm trying to get my wife to let me buy a teardrop camper so we can camp out there!

I just planted a pawpaw and a persimmon, both in full sun. The persimmon dropped all of its leaves and the pawpaw only lost half a leaf (I assume the deer decided it wasn't worth finishing). The pawpaws I planted this spring needed to be watered way too often (at least twice a week even with a screen covering from June-Mid August). I would assume fall is a better time to plant paw paws considering they don't do well in full sun until a root system is established and they are very cold hardy. I am hoping to avoid watering at all next year by planting in ground now.

Just thought I would share our idea for creating temporary shade in a shadeless backyard lol.. I don't know if anyone else has had the same dilemma but the lack of any type of shade is what made us wait so long to put the pawpaws in to begin with. They were really starting to suffer in the containers though (leaves turning yellow and browning in some patches) so we went for it and put them in. So far so good, they seem to be doing pretty well. Honestly though, these dang pawpaws have not grown even one new leaf since I purchased them in June and I did have them in large/deep containers to accomodate the taproot.

Im wondering if anyone knows about whether or not I should have the tubex tree guards on them? I thought I remembered reading that the tubes should come off either in the summer or the fall, but I can't remember which! They sure are tempermental trees at this stage it seems. They need water more often then other in-ground trees I've been told, especially during establishment period. So I came up with the idea of filling a few empty milk cartons with water and a couple small rocks for weight, then I poked a couple holes in the bottom of the carton for a DIY el cheapo drip system lol.. So far so good with that but we shall see :)

Thanks guys! Ok these paws have a date with the dirt tomorrow!!

Snaglpus- nice list of cultivars!! Must be nice :) Ive wanted to grow paws for so long but there have been some set backs....mice, deer etc...You do your best to winter protect just to attract mice. Deer don't seem to want to eat them, but they have no problem just snapping small trees in half, I guess for fun? Oh well, this time is different I can tell!! Lol

Jamie- my sun protection isn't gonna look anywhere as nice as yours! Yours looks shade-tastic :) I won't be able to see mine from the house, so I'm going less esthetic and more....well whatever's lying around the garage lol So my thought was giant tomato cages (some home made 6 footers, thanks hubby:) wrapped with burlap or some kind of frost cloth. Then I'll mound soil up a bit for winter. I'm apprehensive of those plastic tree protectors as I've experienced bark damage with them. Be it from nawing rodents when they move in for a winter respit, or sometime it looks like the wind bashing them around damages the bark. Maybe that's why you shouldn't leave them on over winter?? I dunno

Hi,
For all trees, if in container, you can plant them when you want as long as the dirt is not frozen and rock solid ... of course. You could still plant in the winter with snow, but then have someone make a video of you in action. I'm sure there is a prize for such activities like "Best Fool of the year" or something like that ...

For all trees, you need to water them much more during the first two years after plantation.
Then, you'll need to water your trees if your water table is low and there is no rain for some time. You can't escape those duties or be prepared for stunted and slooooooow growth.
Planting now at Fall time as long as the summer heat wave is behind you at your location is the best. Spring time planting is good too .
Leaving the trees in container they could freeze solid or get bone dry if you forget to water them during the winter.
Lazy as I am, I would and do plant them asap and keep on watering them until frost sets in .

As for deers, antler rubbing is one of their preferred activity and this goes on any trunk or post, so you should plan for a cage to protect your trees .
I don't have deers... But moles and voles keep me busy.If you want it, fight for it !

My two cents worth. I have 5 pawpaw trees. Bought them in different years. I planted them all at this time of the year and have them planted in full sun. I'm in zone 5 and no problems. I am harvesting now from one tree that is the oldest about 5 years. Each tree is a different variety.
Lou

Hey Lou, how old were your trees when you first planted them?  I got voles and worried about planting them in the ground.  But I may have no choice.  The tap root on Paw Paws is pretty long.

All of my five trees where only two year grafted plants. They stood about 18 inches above the ground.
They have not been bothered by the low temps that occurred last season and that was without any protection 
as well.
I do fertilize three times each growing season by casting 19-19-19 granular fertilizer around the tree area.
I find them very easy to care for.
I had this photo on here before showing a couple of my trees. There are others behind them that
cannot be seen(5 tree total).  
Lou

I have always been interested in growing pawpaws but worried my zone maybe too cold for them. I am glad to see that its possible! Lou what varieties do you grow?