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nafex - RE: [NAFEX] Pawpaws

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  • From: "Volkening, Tom" <volkenin@mail.lib.msu.edu>
  • To: "Sgroppino Farms" <sgroppino@sgroppino.com>, "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [NAFEX] Pawpaws
  • Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 07:43:14 -0500

John,
I live in Zone 5 near Lansing, MI and have two Pawpaw tree that are about 8 years old and doing well.  Mine are planted about 100 feet from my house and I never have a problem with the smell of the flowers, in fact I don't notice the smell of the flowers at all unless I get very close to them.  I found an alternative to using road kill to attract pollinators.  I buy one or two of the kits that you hang in barns to catch flies.  I use the liquid attractant that comes with kit to soak pieces of cloth which I tie around a branch in each tree.  I get good fruit set using this method.
 

Tom Volkening
Engineering Librarian
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone:  517-432-1498
Fax:      517-353-9041
Email:    volkenin@msu.edu
              volkenin@egr.msu.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Sgroppino Farms [mailto:sgroppino@sgroppino.com]
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 1:32 AM
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [NAFEX] Pawpaws

Are there any folks on the list who've been successful growing Pawpaws in colder climates (Zone 5)?  There was an interesting discussion about these fruits on NPR earlier today and I'm interested in at least trying a few plants up here in coastal Maine.  The thing that concerns me most is that the flowers reputedly smell awful and need to be pollinated by carrion flies, which may require nailing a dead possum (or the equivalent) to a nearby tree to attract them.  How bad IS the smell when they're in bloom?  Is it bad enough that Pawpaw trees should simply not be planted near one's house?  What's a safe distance?
 
Any/all feedback appreciated.
 
John
 
* * * * *
 
John A Gasbarre
Sgroppino Farms
Vinalhaven Island, Maine
sgroppino@sgroppino.cmo
USDA Zone 5   



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