How Do I Get My Pecan Trees To Produce Pecans?

Pecan trees grow best in well-drained sandy loam soil. Sandy soils will need to be fertilized often to maintain productivity, as nutrients will quickly leach through the large soil pore space of sand. Low fertility and an inadequate amount of zinc can limit nut production.

How do you get the best production out of a pecan tree?

You can rejuvenate old pecan trees and get them to produce by interrupting the alternate-bearing process. This is done through proper maintenance, such as fertilizing correctly, sticking to a watering schedule, and managing common diseases. Extensive pruning, if done correctly, can also revive an old tree.

What is the best fertilizer for pecan trees?

Nitrogen and zinc are the two nutrients most often required by pecan trees annually. Phosphorus and potassium are rarely needed in pecans. Adding additional fertilizer to pecan trees cannot overcome a poor site or soil, inadequate soil moisture or poor disease and insect control.

Why is my pecan tree not producing pecans?

Overcrowding due to over grown trees or too close spacing will eventually lessen production. Pecan trees need maximum exposure to light to have good production. If limbs overlap, remove the least desirable tree. Pest and disease play a role in reducing production in pecan orchards.

Is Epsom salt good for pecan trees?

If you have some fruit trees, a boost in magnesium will do them a world of good. Epsom Salt is used on fruit trees or vegetables to help them yield larger, sweeter, and more fruits. It works great also for nut trees and fruit shrubs.

What month do you fertilize pecan trees?

Fertilize pecan trees at the end of winter dormancy, in late February or early March. If the tree grows in a fertilized lawn, this is usually the only general-purpose fertilizer application needed. Trees growing elsewhere benefit from a nitrogen fertilizer application in late spring, usually May or June.

Is coffee grounds good for pecan trees?

Pecan Trees thrive in acidic soil which means that they will love coffee grounds.

Do pecan trees require a lot of water?

A mature pecan tree requires nearly 34,000 gallons of water per year. With annual average yields of 40 to 50 pounds per tree, this amounts to nearly 680 to 850 gallons of water per pound of nuts, depending on soil type. Proper management of these practices will result in fast growing productive trees.

How can you tell if a pecan tree is male or female?

Pecan trees are monoecious. This means that they produce separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers are located on 4-5 inch long catkins, while female flowers are small, yellowish-green, and grow on spikes at the tips of shoots.

Do you need 2 pecan trees to produce nuts?

For pecan trees to bare nuts you will need two or more different cultivars, as they require cross pollination for maximum productivity. Pecan trees do not bear fruit until they are between the ages of four and 12 years old and that is determined by the cultivar.

Do pecan trees produce pecans every year?

Disease pressure reduces the vigor of the tree and impacts the nut quantity and quality. Most pecan trees are known as alternate bearing trees, which means they are only capable of producing a dependable crop every other year. Most trees are not properly fertilized.

What is the lifespan of a pecan tree?

200-300 years
Pecan trees reach maturity at around twelve years old, and they can live as long as 200-300 years (and continue to produce!) when grown in ideal conditions. Pecan tree height typically ranges from 70 to 100 feet, but some trees can grow as tall as 150 feet or higher.

Is wood ash good for pecan trees?

Other plants that benefit from soil amendment with wood ashes include strawberries, most summer bedding plants and many trees, such as citrus varieties, pecans and black walnuts, plums, pears and crabapples.

What do you spray pecan trees with?

Use Malathion, Spinosad, or Bacillus thuringiensis for casebearer control. Post-Pollination – Pecan Nut Casebearer and Aphids. This spray, if necessary, should be made around June 20, or about 6 weeks after the pollination spray.

Is cow manure good for pecan trees?

This sharp increase in the cost of a single input dramatically reduces the profit margin for pecan producers. Legumes and manure, produced by cattle grazing the orchards, were commonly used to provide fertilizer N for pecan trees in the early years of the southeastern pecan industry.

How do you add zinc to pecan trees?

Young trees and fast-growing trees need applications of zinc on new growth during the spring starting at budbreak and continuing for three sprays at 2- to 3-week intervals. Zinc sulfate is the primary source of zinc and can be mixed at 2 to 3 pounds per 100 gallons of water.

Should pecan trees be topped?

“Trees at planting are normally a whip without branches. A newly planted tree should have between ½ and 1/3 of the top removed so as to bring roots and shoots into balance. (But this is the only time the tops are removed).

What can you do with pecan leaves?

Some gardeners like shredded pecan leaves in a mulch because they are fibrous and decompose slowly. But since our soils are alkaline, I prefer to mix pecan leaves with other organic matter and make a compost to use as mulch.

What soil is best for pecan trees?

sandy loam texture
While pecans can be produced over a wide range of soil types and conditions, reports indicate that for best rooting and good production, soils should be deep, fertile and well-drained, with good water holding capacity. Pecans tend to prefer soils with a sandy loam texture and a clay subsoil.

Do you water pecan trees in the winter?

As long as there leaves on the tree, some water is needed. The fall is also a good time to apply an application of phosphorous. Phosphorous takes time to mineralize into a usable form and the winter is a good time to do that.

How often do pecan trees produce?

Many pecan tree cultivars are alternate bearing, which means that they produce heavy and light crops during alternate years or heavier crops once every two to three years. Plant hormones as well as environmental conditions contribute to the cycle of alternate bearing.