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Growing Pecan Trees

Growing pecan trees

This page contains information about growing pecan trees along with tips, instructions and useful techniques to help you start your own farm and living independently away from cities. Below are information about planting your own pecan trees in your farm. If that's what you're loooking for then this is the place for you. Below you will find the most important aspects related to growing pecan trees, just enough to get you started, if you have any question you can visit our forum and ask our expert farmers.


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Growing Pecan Trees

Three-year-old rootstock with 1-year-old scion is most common in nursery stock. Select a scion with a caliper of 5/8 inch to 1 inch at about 4 to 6 inches above the bud union. The rootstock should have a strong taproot but, more important, it should have numerous pencil-sized lateral roots along the tap root.

Fully dormant pecan trees can be planted as bare-roots during the winter season. February is the best time to plant because it provides enough time before spring for roots to become established. Trees planted early in the planting season will be established sooner and will develop new roots faster to support the spring growth. Nursery stock should be ordered in early fall to ensure acquisition of selected varieties. Plant at least two varieties to ensure pollination.

In laying out an orchard, it is important to first establish a straight base line to ensure straightness. Second, a perpendicular line must be laid out according to given reference points.

Trees need to be stored properly if they are not going to be planted immediately. Roots should be kept out of the sun and drying winds. Exposure will dry out roots and decrease survival potential. Trees should be stored under shade with the roots comp]etely covered with moist soil, peat, sphagnum moss, sawdust or similar material. It is important that roots be kept moist at all times.


Planting Pecans Instruction

Planting your own pecan trees in your farm

The survival of newly planted pecan trees is dependent largely on the care they receive from the time they leave the nursery until growth begins in the spring. For the best results, observe the following instructions:

  • Set trees out as quickly as possible. Heel in trees in a shady place and keep roots moist if they cannot be set immediately upon arrival from the nursery.
  • Dig holes large enough to spread roots out without cramping, usually 2-3 feet wide and deep enough to accommodate the length of the tap roots. With heavy soils, holes should be about 18 inches deeper than the length of the tap root.
  • Remove packing material which was placed around roots to keep them moist. Soak roots for one hour in water before planting.
  • Ultimate position of the tree in the hole should be the same depth as it had when grown in the nursery. You can tell where the ground line was by the difference in bark color. Because the soil tends to settle down a bit a few days after planting, trees should be planted a couple of inches deeper so they will end up planted at the right depth. Trees planted too deep or too shallow may not live.
  • Spread lateral roots out and work good topsoil around them as you fill the hole. Do not push the lateral roots down against the tap root. If soil has a lot of clay or sand, mix in one bushel of peat moss, leaf-mold or well-rotted compost.
  • When the hole is half full with loose topsoil, pour in at least 5 gallons of water to settle soil around the roots. Fill hole within 6 inches of the surface and water again. After the water settles, finish filling the hole with loose topsoil and leave a basin around the tree of sufficient size to hold 10 gallons of water. (Do not tramp the soil - this may damage the lateral roots and compact heavy soil.)
  • Pruning 1/3 to 1/2 of the top is one secret of getting trees to thrive. If this was not done at the nursery, prune after planting. Prune all lateral branches to six-inch stubs. (Growth on these stubs the first year or two will help protect the trunk from sunscald). Newly transplanted trees grow slowly. However, if they have not budded out by late June, cut them back again to force growth on the remaining trunk.
  • Do not mix barnyard manure or commercial fertilizer with soil when backfilling as burning of roots may result. One-fourth pound of urea or similar nitrogen formulation and 1/8 pound zinc chelates per tree may be applied shortly after leaves appear.
  • Water thoroughly monthly until leaves appear, then water every 7 to 10 days. Thorough watering to the full depth of the roots is essential. If poorly drained soil is used, avoid ponding water around the base of the tree for more than 2 hours.
  • Keep soil free of weeds in an area extending at least 3 feet from the trunk.
  • Growth of newly transplanted pecan trees is usually limited the first year, leaving the trunk exposed to possible sunscald. Wrap the trunk loosely, with aluminum foil, burlap, heavy paper or special tree trunk protectors. Trunks can also be whitewashed to reflect sunlight.

If you liked this page, you might also be interested in this page about Growing Peanuts.

This page is just one of many pages dedicated to sustainable living through organic farming and living wisely. growing pecan trees will enable you become one step closer to food independance. This is beneficial to your health, peace of mind and lifestyle, great for nature, and reduces your carbon footprint. You can really do it yourself, grow your own food, raise your own animals, from simple means. You can go back to nature and sustainability one step at a time. Today growing pecan trees, tomorrow something else. That's why we have many articles that you can find on the left side of this page to choose from. Each time try to add something to your farm. Sustainable living is your ticket to true freedom. Enjoy the rest of our pages.
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