Ah this is the worst part!! Waiting, waiting, waiting... Pawpaws take their sweet time, and have notoriously low germination rates (about 60%). Add to that the growth of a taproot before they break the surface and you could be months before seeing their leaves finally peeking out.
I am not a patient person, so all this waiting kills me! Plus who has room for so many pots in the middle of seed starting season?
This is why I start them on moist paper towels. Sure, it takes a bit of coddling. They must be kept moist with a spritz once or twice a day, but I get to see right away when one of these precious babies sprouts.
That's when I move them on to their own pot and let them do their thing. The rest I'll keep an eye on for a few more months, potting them as they're ready.
If all goes well, we'll have a few dozen saplings for sale in the fall.
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