North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Mauch1@aol.com]

I've been meaning to write an short article for the Pomona but 
haven't gotten to it.  I believe I wrote an article a few 
years back regarding PawPaw grafting and kind of described it 
as "easy", which it basically is, but experience has taught me 
a few caveats.  

Phil, you have all the basics down for Pawpaw grafting (I use 
Whip & Tongue rather than a simple whip graft, but that's just 
a matter of preference.)  But here's my caveats:

1) Do not graft to overly thin or weak growing stock. A graft 
that would likely take for a small diameter apple graft will 
more likely fail for pawpaw.

2) For w&t grafting I generally use a grafting rubber (or 
rubber band) covered by parafilm. Pawpaws will readily graft 
with such a regime, but the graft will not expand under the 
wrapping.  So you can get a situation where both below and 
above the graft the tree has doubled its diameter, but the 
graft area is the size it was when you wrapped it.  You either 
need to remove the graft covering earlier (I generally have 
waited until August to remove graft coverings) or stake the graft area (see 
caveat #3).  Once the wrapping is removed the 
graft will swiftly swell to the size of the rest of the tree.

3) Until the graft is unwrapped and 'settled' I would stake 
the graft to a stick attached above and below the graft. I 
have lost a number of grafts that appeared to be quite 
successful takes to breakage before the wrappings were 
removed.  

Good luck!

Chris Mauchline
SE PA, zone 6
40° 5' N    75° 51'W
~650 ft elevation

>Here is my understanding of pawpaw grafting from reading and >what others 
>have told me:
>1) collect dormant graftwood in winter
>2) wait until leaves are pushing in spring
>3) whip graft
>I am intending to try this out on some root suckers I dug up >this spring 
>that came from a native tree from the Sabine >River bottom donated to me by 
>John Harrington.  Do I have >this right?  

>I germinated some seeds this spring with no problem.  All >germinated. The 
>root suckers I dug up in February came from >John's yard and every one 
>lived.  I dug up three clumps for a >total of about a dozen trees.  Each 
>clump had a goodly amount >of dirt around the roots.
>Phil in Beaumont, TX 77707