Advice on pecan problem

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rcnaylor
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Advice on pecan problem

Post by rcnaylor » February 9th, 2010, 4:32 pm

Well, my trees are fairly young. All are seedling pecans. About 9 years old now. Their production had been getting better each year, but this year I ran in to a real problem. There was plenty of nuts on the trees, but, most of them stuck in the shuck. And, virtually every nut on all three of my trees had the meat shriveled inside if you did find one that came out or cut through the shuck to get inside the pecan.

Any one know what happened?

We've had pretty dry summers the last several years here, but, I add water and the nuts were mostly nice sized. I did overseed the grass that is in the area around the first of September and so watered lightly daily for a while there to get the cool season grass seed up and going.

My next door neighbor has 3 improved varieties and his nuts, though, not a heavy crop, had good meat in them.

My cultural practices, except for the lawn overseeding, haven't changed drastically. I use mostly organic fertilizers. 4 apps a year at about 20 lbs per thousand feet. Water deep and infrequently (soaker hose the trees about once a month.)

A year or two ago I did buy some pecan shell mulch from a pecan place and used it as compost. (Bugs or disease could have come in with that.)

I did not see any bug infestation or diseases that were apparent. The trees didn't have light or yellowish foliage suggesting nutrient issues. I haven't put out magnesium, but we have a pretty heavy clay soil and had seen no indication of problems in prior years.

So: too little water, too much, bug problem, disease problem, nutrient issue? Bad luck, hope for better luck next year?

Any ideas or suggestions welcome.

texasweed

Re: Advice on pecan problem

Post by texasweed » February 9th, 2010, 8:28 pm

rcnaylor wrote:Any one know what happened?
I think I know. If you want to search the web try the term "STICKTIGHTS". Any the two most likely causes are:

* Drought and Heat stress in September or October.
* Early Fall frost/freeze damage.

If you get early fall freezes or frost indicates you should probable be growing a variety that matures early in the season. Other causes for Sticktights is competition from lawn grasses. One real problem especially with young tree they need a lot of fertilize. So much so it would burn your grass out.

Last thing is a question back at you. How deep and what qauality is your top soil?

Pecans need very deep, rich topsoil that extends down to the water table with good drainage and sponge like water holding capacity. Usually theses types of soils or located in river and creek bottoms where silt has been laid down for decades or centuries. That is why you will find the pecan farms next to rivers or in river valleys and flood plains.

rcnaylor
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Re: Advice on pecan problem

Post by rcnaylor » February 10th, 2010, 10:46 am

Excellent information TW.

"An early freeze"... well DUH. I should have thought about that. I went back to my journal and it says on Oct 10 we got down to 27 to 30 degrees. That is early even for us. I even wondered at the time if it would hurt the pecans, but, by the time it was time to start harvesting them I forgot all about that early cold snap. It didn't really hurt anything else, but, obviously my pecans needed more time. Presumably my neighbor's improved variety are a little earlier maturing. Case solved I think.

FWIW, I have good soil, but we have kind of a natural hard pan somewhere down there that keeps most of the trees around here from getting as big as they do most places. I guess I'll just have to see how it affects the pecans a few years down the road.

I very much appreciate the idea about the freeze. It will keep me from chasing down rabbit paths that don't apply.

texasweed

Re: Advice on pecan problem

Post by texasweed » February 11th, 2010, 12:37 am

Well the hard pan will affect your pecan tree size and girth. As for early freezes, nothing you can do except plant a different variety or take your chances. Where are you located?

rcnaylor
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Re: Advice on pecan problem

Post by rcnaylor » February 11th, 2010, 10:33 pm

texasweed wrote: Where are you located?
Oh, you know, a place known for its balmy winter weather - Amarillo.

I grew the seedlings as much for the shade as for the nuts. And, so far the nuts have been nice sized and only this one year of freeze damage so far. I won't mind missing a year every once in a while. Hopefully it doesn't become a regular occurrence. Guess I'll have to see how that global warming thing plays out.


texasweed

Re: Advice on pecan problem

Post by texasweed » February 12th, 2010, 12:36 am

Well I live in the Great White North, just north of Dallas Ft Worth area. 12 fricken inches of snow today, an all time record single day accumulation for Dallas, and one of the coldest/wettest winters on record here. This season alone we have had 38 inches of snow. Normally we a dusting once every 3 or 4 years. Last year I had 30 inches of snow, and the year before that 24 inches in one day in mid March. I dare Al Gore to show his face in TX. I hope it keeps snowing in WDC till Al Gore says UNCLE, and they throw Nancy and Harry out with the rest of the trash.

Trees in Amarillo? You must be the only person with a tree :yahoo: Yeah I can see how you might have a problem with pecans and early freezes.

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Dchall_San_Antonio
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Re: Advice on pecan problem

Post by Dchall_San_Antonio » February 12th, 2010, 1:49 am

I've been to RC's house. He has all the Panhandle trees on his lot. It's hard to miss.

My wife showed me a political cartoon today. It showed a couple of the monuments in D.C. covered with snow. The caption was "What do you know? The Saints win the SuperBowl and Hell freezes over all in the same day."

texasweed

Re: Advice on pecan problem

Post by texasweed » February 12th, 2010, 9:27 am

Dchall_San_Antonio wrote:I've been to RC's house. He has all the Panhandle trees on his lot. It's hard to miss.
Trees in the Texas Panhandle? What will they think of next? :cool:

rcnaylor
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Re: Advice on pecan problem

Post by rcnaylor » February 15th, 2010, 12:11 pm

I'm still jealous of how much moisture you guys have been getting TW. And, that amount of snow there is unheard of.

In response to David's comments on my trees (around 40 on a corner lot, ha!) I was going to do a little picture album. But, does anyone know how to link from say a picasa album to here? Just would kind of like to know if it can be done (and if so, how) for future reference.

All it allows for is a link or "imbed" photo. I can put the links, but that is no fun.

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