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.

Asimina Triloba Germination Evidence

Three of my pawpaw seeds have started to germinate.  I had removed the seed coat of two of the seeds.  The other seed had its seed coat fully intact, but the germinating root clearly cracked through the coat.  I took the pawpaw seeds out of cold storage at different intervals, so I assume that these seeds are the ones removed from cold storage on November 13, the next November 22, the next November 28, and the last December 3.  By my calculations, these seeds require a minimum of 35-45 days to show the slightest sign of germination.  My research indicates the seed will grow a long root first.  I predict that will take until January 20.  Then it should start to push the stem.  By about mid February, I should see the plant poking through the ground.  Once the plants break though the ground, I will place them by a sunny window or under a grow light.  I know that seedling pawpaws cannot tolerate strong light, but  the window filters out some of the sun, so I think it will be okay.  From February to April, I hope to get them to grow several inches so that they are large enough to sell.  I hope to list the little plants on EBay or Amazon in April.  The youngest batch will be about 3 weeks behind the most mature batch.