Last September I purchased two PawPaw trees from HiddenSprings Nursery – a Mango and an Overleese. Initially I planted them in an extended area of my new orchard but when a sickly apple tree had to be removed from my old orchard I decided to transplant the two small PawPaws close together where the apple tree had stood. Incidentally this apple tree was purchased from a big box store to replace an apple tree which had previously failed. So either there is a problem with the soil in this specific area or both trees were unsuited to my conditions. Generally I purchase all my trees from specialist nurseries or develop them from cuttings.
The instructions which accompanied the PawPaws said shade is needed for the first year or two, so I decided to construct a simple shelter. I am averse to buying materials when I can make do with what is around me. After experimenting with a tripod arrangement made from bamboo, which worked ok, I decided to utilize 10ft oak branches as the post for each shelter. I first dug a 2ft hole with a clam shell digger to anchor the posts.
The two shelters are about 8 ft apart. On the right is a trellis of various muscadines and in front is hairy vetch which loves my area and is self propagated from a seeding several years ago. I let it and the winter rye and clovers go to seed each year. This ensures winter cover and slows down the spread of bermuda grass.
In my first shelter I have a watering stop for my bees. The irrigation is arranged that the bubbler fills the basin (upturned trashbin cover) and then dribbles over onto the site of the PawPaw. The flat stones in the water are landing pads for the bees.
And my second shelter is similar, a post, surplus branches attached to the bolt on the post and a small pawpaw sheltering underneath.
