How to get a good crop of pecans

Q: We have a small grove of overgrown pecan trees in two straight rows on our newly purchased farmland. What should we do to get a good crop of pecans so we can sell some? 

A: Your goal of having enough to sell will be a journey, not a day trip. It might take three years to get enough to sell, but it will take even more time to bring the trees into reliable production. Start by fixing the things that take the longest to benefit the tree: fertility and tree structure. Fertilize the tree based on a University of Georgia soil test (georgiasoiltest.com). You will likely need to apply lime and possibly zinc. Both take years to help a tree.

Proper pruning is extremely important to achieve maximum leaf surface and strong limbs that won’t break under a big load of nuts. Pecan wood is brittle and I imagine your overgrown trees have several codominant trunks that need to be worked with so they don’t break off in a windstorm. You need professionals to do this job. Make sure the tree company you hire has a certified arborist on staff to supervise the pruning. Structural pruning can be complicated because the limbs on all sides of the tree should be approximately equal in weight to keep the tree from twisting and breaking in the wind.

Long limbs will need to be shortened so they don’t shade lower limbs. Stubs and other defects should be removed with a proper cut. Other things needing attention are weed control, insect control, cover crops, and leveling the ground under the trees, which will help when harvest time comes. I’m just getting started with the things you need to know to manage your pecan trees. You can get tremendous help from the Newton County Extension office (770-784-2010) if you set up a time to meet and go over your plans and goals.