Micro forest

The little pawpaw seedlings are now a micro forest. They have years of growth ahead before becoming a mature trees, but I appreciate the fact that they have germinated and are growing.  Some seedlings have begun developing vegetative buds in the leaf axils.

Officially seedlings

My little pawpaws have broken through the soil.  Most are now erect and starting to grow their first leaves. 

Pushy Pawpaws

The first seedlings are pushing through the soil.  The exposed stems are red.

Breaking through

It's been a month and one week since I took the asimina triloba seeds out of cold storage.  The seeds are trying to push up through the soil.  I predict by this time next week some of the plants will have broken through. This gives me 2-2.5 months to get them under grow lights and bulk them up.  My hope is that they will be large enough to sell by the first week of April.

I definitely need to leave all seeds in cold storage at least 90 days next year.  The germination rate of the earlier seeds with only 75 days stratification is significantly lower.