Attempt to germinate pawpaw seeds

The pawpaw seeds have been in cold storage for 84 days now. I have placed them in a clear plastic container with moistened paper towel to germinate them. I checked on the seeds in the greenhouse.  Only the one seed from Seedrack has germinated.

A Bunny Thanksgiving

Meet my fertilizer factory, Whoodini and Gandalf

Pawpaw germination

On November 10, 2012, I placed three pawpaw seeds in three separate containers to begin the germination process. The pawpaw seeds had been in my refrigerator since around September 8. I buried the seeds about one inch deep in a twelve inch container, then placed them in the green house. Today, I unearthed all 3 seeds, and one of the seeds that I obtained from seed rack had already sprouted and was sending down a tap root. Yeah!!!

Collards

The frost has fallen.

Pawpaw Disappointment

I was disappointed today. I drove an hour to the N.C. Pawpaw Festival only to discover that they were out of everything, food samples and pawpaws. I arrived at 10:40 a.m., only 40 minutes after the festival began. Festival hours were 10-1. So, I still have yet to taste a pawpaw. I have been watching the one fruit hanging on my parent's tree closely. I hope it makes it. It's only about 3" tall and 1" in diameter--very small. My family and I will have to split it. I hope to get the nine asimina triloba trees in my yard to produce soon. The picture is of the one little pawpaw.

Pawpaws (Asimina Triloba)

Summer Gardens

Joshua's Apple Tree

White Peach Tree

Magnolia Fig

Brown Turkey Fig

Chicago Hardy Fig

Flowers Buds?

There are some buds on the pawpaw trees that I suspect are flower buds. Of course, they will not open up until next spring if they are indeed flower buds. None-the-less, it is exciting to think that my newly transplanted pawpaws might be capable of producing flowers. At the same time, I am trying to hold back on my enthusiasm because at times I come to expect too much too fast from my plants. I don't want to be disappointed. Here is another insect hanging out on the pawpaws. It appears to be some sort of spider with greenish-yellow legs.

Pumpkins

The pumpkin plants that I planted have not produced any fruit. This is a volunteer plant that has one good-looking fruit. I hope that there are more to come.

Pawpaw Pics

Hope!

I transplanted two pawpaws about end to April. I neglected one a bit; I didn't plant it in the ground immediately. The plant has looked pretty sad. Happily, I found a little leaf that is trying to emerge.

Couch Potatoes

Who would of guessed that while I'm outside tending to my plants my couch started sprouting some couch potatoes. What a hard life they lead.

Watermelon Watch

I have a few promising-looking watermelons. I hope they make it to maturity and have great flavor. I'm a little concerned. Another watermelon vine shriveled and died and I'm not sure why. Some of my other cucurbit plants have contracted some sort of leaf spot disease. I hope the watermelons don't succomb.

Blueberry Bushes

The blueberries grew well in spring. They have slowed their growth considerably since the weather has gotten warmer. I had one plant produce a few blueberries. Unfortunately, by the time I tried to pick the berries, some critter had beat me to it.

Figs are Amazing

My tissue-cultured magnolia fig seemed to be struggling a bit in her flower pot. I thought the flowerpot would allow me to take better care of the plant so it could get stronger. Well, I decided to plant the fig in the ground, stop babying her, and let her fend for herself. Consequently, she showed me that the only thing she needed was to be left alone. A week after putting her in the ground, her leaves are bigger and without brown spots. Furthermore, the little plant is growing a new shoot. Remarkable!

Pawpaws: Before and After

I removed these pawpaws from my parent's property on April 12, 2012. The other picture is the pawpaws as of today, almost three months later.

Pawpaw Power!

I had given up hope of getting any fruit from my parents' pawpaw patch. It seemed that all the little fruitlets disappeared shortly after the trees stopped flowering. I have searched for signs of fruit since April, but saw nothing. Well, today I found one little fruit that survived. Yea!!! I wrapped it in netting in hopes that the wild animals don't get to it before I do. To recap, the pawpaws started breaking dormancy around the end of March to early April. I transplanted some pawpaw trees (6 to be exact) from my parents' yard to mine. All are thriving with the exception of one because I delayed planting it for a week. I did not remove the dirt from around the roots after I dug up the pawpaws; instead I put the plants, dirt in all, in a plastic grocery bag. The next day, I dug holes about twice as big as the dirt ball and planted the pawpaws. They are beautiful. I think that transplanting just when the plant breaks dormancy may be helpful. By April 12th there were flowers. By April 25th, there were still flowers and some fruitlets. By June 24th there was a 2" long x 1" diameter fruit.This is one of the pawpaw transplants. It looks so happy.

Watermelon Blooms Keep Me Buzzing

What a pretty bloom! Each morning I get up with the bees to pollinate my plants.

Edibles

Other edible plants that I am growing are pawpaws, figs, peaches, apples, mulberry, blueberries, parsley, cilantro, oregano, dill, thyme, and rosemary.