Ways to Start a Pawpaw Farming

Papaya, commonly known as Pawpaw is one of the fruits crops which are grown by many both as a subsistence and commercial farming business. It is a tropical fruit, so it is grown also in any tropical country worldwide. 

Some agricultural farming businesses require huge capital but pawpaw cultivation doesn’t require much so it makes it a better substitute for other kinds of farming which requires much start-up capital.

Pawpaw farming business is an interesting type because the fruit is on very high demand across the globe for consumption and industrial use. Additionally, pawpaw farming has a huge market, huge return on investment (ROI) and low capital to start with.

All you need to know to start the business of pawpaw farming are discussed below: 

1. Get a Suitable farming Site

Getting suitable farmland is always the first step after you must have already made up your mind on what kind of agricultural business you will like to invest in.

It is the main asset that clearly chops off cost but its essence should not be overlooked. 

In a case where you can’t afford such cost, you can also rent land for such farming practices till you are able to buy one. 

Again, ensure that the site is not situated in a waterlogged area or rocky land because it will not survive such areas.

Once you have succeeded in getting the land, you have to prepare it and get it ready for farming. Clear the site, get the refuse dumps burnt and plow it to be readily available for the farming process.

2. Consider the Soil Type in The land

Consider as well the type of soil available on the land. Pawpaw trees grow well in loamy and humid soil but not in sandy or waterlogged soil like clay. 

Pawpaw trees especially the stem and root are very sensitive and because of the nature of the tree which is not as strong when compared with mango or orange trees can easily rot when in waterlogged soil or area. 

Whether you a buying farmland or you are renting it the most important thing to consider is the soil type that best suits pawpaw trees. Pawpaw also yields well in a soil mixture of sandy and loamy.

Soil pH should also be considered. Land can have a very acidic pH scale or alkaline type. However, the story here is that the soil pH good for the growth of pawpaw should be between 5.5 and 7.0.

Pawpaw trees don’t grow well in a very acidic soil pH and cannot give encouraging productivity as well.

3. Climatic Condition Suitable For Pawpaw

Pawpaw is a tropical fruit for the temperate climate that does best in hot summers and cold winters. It requires a frost-free climate to grow well in any area it is been planted.

Though some species of pawpaw such as Asimina triloba pawpaw known as common pawpaw grow well under a cold climatic condition.

This point above serves as an answer to “Where do pawpaw trees grow best”?

It is as well good to plant your pawpaw tree where it will be shaded when it is still young but can receive full sunlight as it matures and grows above the shade.

The temperature range required is between 21 to 33°C with minimal adequate rainfall.

Overcast and cold weather can cause delayed fruit ripening and reduction in fruit quality while frost has every tendency to terminate the plant or thwart the growth.

4. Time For Planting

Pawpaw can be been planted during any time of the year but it is most preferable planted during late summers.

How long does it take for a pawpaw tree to bear fruit?

Depending on the seed quality and varieties some species of pawpaw can grow within 4 years starting from the time seeds were planted while some others can take up to 8 years.

5. Planting of Pawpaw

Planting any fruit or seed crops requires healthy seeds; therefore make sure that the pawpaw seed is healthy which will not only yield sweet fruits but also healthy ones. 

Plant Propagation

As propagation generally implies the method of growing new plants from a variety of sources, pawpaw propagation is simply growing of pawpaw plant from its seed.

This paragraph will provide an answer to the popular question “How do pawpaw trees grow”? 

Pawpaw is best grown by the propagation of the seed from harvested fruits. It is a well-known successful way and very easy to reproduce the desired variety of pawpaw from the seed. It is known as seed propagation.

To start this, get pawpaw seeds from ripe pawpaw then wash and squeeze each seed out from the jelly bag that normally covers the seeds.

Next, dry the seeds in a shady place and store in a tightly closed container till the time of when the variety is best planted (Say December).

During planting, 5 seeds can be added into a hole at a time with adding any type of manure into the holes. Keep the plant moist until they grow to seedlings when you can uproot carefully to separate them on the prepared farmland.

Conversely, the seeds can be sown in sterilized nursery beds where they will not sprout out at 2 to 3 leaf stage.

Transplanting of seedlings should be done 2 months after the seeds were sown and they should have reached up to 20cm long i.e. 3-4 leaf stage.

6. Planting Steps

This is the stage where you are required to uproot the seedlings carefully from the containers.

Dig a hole that will be twice the size of the seedling, then remove the seedlings carefully without damaging the place of the root at the center of the hole and fill the surrounding with the soil.

Make sure that the tree is not planted deeper than it was inside the container and that the stem is not covered with soil to avoid rots.

7. Spacing

Field spacing is necessarily considered while planting pawpaw. The normal spacing pattern is estimated at 3 x 2 m to 2.50 x 1.60 m, with densities of 1667 and 2500 plants per hectare respectively.

Pawpaw trees are spaced relatively close to another at a distance of 5 feet. They are the kind fruit plant that is believed to share nutrients and have their roots grafted together. Close spacing helps them to achieve this.

Therefore the best spacing pattern generally acceptable for pawpaw planting is 1.5 m between plants and3 to 4 between rows.

8  Pollination

Pollination is one of the major important factors in pawpaw farming, fruit production can be limited if pollination didn’t take place properly. 

The pawpaw tree is said to be self-incompatible meaning that the pollen from one flower on the pawpaw tree will not pollinate the stigma of the other flowers on the same tree.

For this reason, it is advisable to get different varieties of pawpaw to make sure that pollination is successful. Pawpaw fruits require pollination from a tree with different genetics.

Natural pollinators for this plant are needed for a successful transfer of pollen grains between the flowers. Planting one male plant per 25 to 100 female plants can be retained as a pollinator.

Are pawpaw trees self-pollinating?

Pawpaw trees are self-incompatible, requiring cross-pollination from another unrelated pawpaw tree. Bees show no interest in pawpaw flowers. Flies and beetles play important roles in pollinating pawpaw fruits.

9. Pest Control

Pest easily attacks pawpaw tree when growing and when mature, to control pests which can cause diseases and poor growth of the pawpaw tree when the tree is mature is done by proper management.

Ash is locally used in the subsistence farming practice to kill and drive them off, by pouring it on the root of the pawpaw tree which is their main target. 

10. Marketing

While waiting for it to mature, don’t limit your sales only at the market, try to inform companies and industries that use pawpaw and its derivatives in the production of cosmetics, beverages, and medicines about your farming business so that you can supply to them as well, as pawpaw tends to ripen easily. 

It can be sold in local and international markets anywhere across the globe. You can also supply private fruit juicing companies.

Let people know about the business that you are already into so that once you harvest, you sell them out. Pawpaw fruits are not good to be stored for even a short period of time except for those using to make juice. This is when you use a refrigerator for storage. 

11. Harvesting

Pawpaw fruits are harvested when the skin starts turning yellow. Some species don’t normally turn to yellow color when they are ripened.

They normally get mature 9 months after the seedlings are transplanted from the containers. At this, of physiological development traces of yellow color are seen on the fruits.

One pawpaw tree can produce an estimated number between 75 and 100 pawpaw fruits yearly. The trees can be productive for more than 100 years but the most productive years are the first 3 to 4 years. This is why it is important to renew plantation every 4 years.

The start off of pawpaw farming may not be encouraging because it is a perennial crop but unlike most of its kind, it readily produces fruits when mature.

It bears fruits from the 7th – 11th months after planting. Also when compared with other farming businesses, it requires low capital as anyone can successfully venture into it but has a great return on investment.