Materials

• Potting soil
• Spade
• Soil pH meter
• Watering bucket
• Rake
• 5 gallon bucket – winter protection
• Chicken wire or window screen
• 50% shade cloth – growing season protection
• Mulch
• Limestone (if soil pH requires adjustment)
• Organic matter (compost, aged manure, or peat moss)

1. Locate a planting spot with both shade and sunlight. Pawpaws produce the most fruit in full sun but seedlings require shade for first 2 years.

1. Choose a location in full sun and provide some shade during growing period (spring, summer, fall), some options below:
   1. Enclose seedlings in chicken wire (which will also protect it from animals) and use 50% shade cloth over the top
   2. Plant seedlings on the north side of a fence giving shade while young and sunlight when mature and taller than the fence line
   3. Sow your pawpaws south of nitrogen-fixing tree (i.e., black locust, mimosa, alder, redbud, etc.) It will provide young pawpaws shade and soil fertility. Cut it down 2 to 3 years later, when seedlings are old enough that sunlight exposure won't cause sunburnt leaves
2. Plant near water source if possible, they like moist soil conditions

2. Confirm that your soil's pH is between 5.5 to 7.0. Pawpaws prefer slightly acidic soil.

1. Check soil pH with soil pH meter, if the pH is outside of the recommended range, use limestone to adjust
   1. Add dolomitic limestone to raise pH if soil has low levels of magnesium
   2. Add calcitic limestone to raise pH if soil has high levels of magnesium
   3. Addition of ground oyster shells, crushed eggshells, and wood ashes can also be used to adjust soil pH levels
2. OR contact your local extension office to have your soil tested and adjust per the instructions in your test report

3. Test soil drainage by digging a hole and filling it with water. Pawpaws require properly draining soil, ideally half air space and half solid soil, with approximately 2 to 5% organic matter.

1. Dig a hole 12"-18" (30-46 cm) both across and deep and fill it with water; if it takes 1 hour or more to drain, your soil does not have proper drainage
2. Add organic matter into your soil to improve drainage: manure, compost, or peat moss are great choices of organic matter that can improve soil drainage

4. Dig a hole with your spade as deep as the root system and 2x or 3x the diameter of the root mass. This ensures that it has plenty of room to continue growing.

1. Loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole with a spade or fork for ease of root establishment

5. Space your pawpaw plants 8' (2.4 m) to 15' (4.5 m) apart. Any further and nutrient sharing between plants will be unlikely.

1. Use at least 3 varieties of pawpaw for optimal cross-pollination