Growing Pecans

Pecans require at least 3 feet of well-drained soil, so rocky areas with thin soil don't work. These trees are best able to take up critical nutrients from soil that has a pH level of 6-7. Pecans must be cross-pollinated (usually by the wind) to reproduce well.

How long does it take for a pecan tree to bear fruit?
Where do pecans grow best?
How long does it take for a pecan nut to sprout?
How do you start a pecan tree from nuts?
Do you need 2 pecan trees to produce nuts?
Do pecans drop every year?
Can I grow pecans in my yard?
Why are pecans so expensive?
What state has the best pecans?
How deep do you plant a pecan nut?
Can you eat green pecans?
Can you grow a pecan tree from a pecan nut?

How long does it take for a pecan tree to bear fruit?

A grafted pecan tree 4 to 6 feet tall planted in a good site and properly maintained will generally begin production in 6 to 7 years. The more precocious varieties may sometimes start production in 4 to 5 years. The less precocious varieties may take 8 to 10 years to bear.

Where do pecans grow best?

As of 2014, the United States produced an annual crop of 119.8 million kilograms (264.2 million pounds), with 75% of the total crop produced in Georgia, New Mexico and Texas. They can be grown from USDA hardiness zones approximately 5 to 9, and grow best where summers are long, hot and humid.

How long does it take for a pecan nut to sprout?

Germination is staggered for each individual seedling and 4 to 8 weeks is required for all seed to come up. Dry Storage is required for the nuts as soon as they are harvested. Kernel percent moisture needs to be reduced from 20 at harvest to 6, 5, or 4 before going into storage.

How do you start a pecan tree from nuts?

They need to be spaced between 35 and 50 feet apart and can grow as tall as 150 feet at full maturity.

Pecan Nut--by Michael W. ...
Place the nuts in a plastic sandwich bag or container with airholes and fill with damp vermiculite. ...
Take the seeds out after the three months and plant each 3 inches deep in a mound of dirt.

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 pecans drop every year?

Alternate bearing in pecan production means that a tree bears a relatively heavy crop of nuts one year and a lighter one the next. It is characteristic of pecan trees and other hardwood forest trees. ... Healthy trees of any cultivar are better able to bear pecans consistently from year to year.

Can I grow pecans in my yard?

Pecan trees are native to the United States, where they thrive in southern locations with long growing seasons. ... However, growing pecan trees in small yards isn't practical because the trees are large and there are no dwarf varieties. A mature pecan tree stands about 150 feet (45.5 m.) tall with a spreading canopy.

Why are pecans so expensive?

Pecans are not among the easiest plants to grow and nature. The time they take to mature and produce makes pecans expensive and restricts the growth of new pecan trees. As the global population continues to grow, the demand for pecan nuts will keep rising, and so is the price.

What state has the best pecans?

The leading pecan-producing state is Georgia, closely followed by Texas. Pecan trees can live over 200 years and are native to Texas.

How deep do you plant a pecan nut?

Sow the pecan seeds in deep, 2-gallon plastic nursery containers filled with a mixture of half loam and half horticultural sand. Bury the seeds at a depth equal to twice their width, which is approximately 2 inches.

Can you eat green pecans?

In most cases, the nut inside a green pecan isn't edible because it hasn't had time to fully develop. You'll be able to tell if they taste bitter and have a sticky, soft texture, instead of the buttery, rich, and nutty flavor of a ripe pecan.

Can you grow a pecan tree from a pecan nut?

A viable pecan seed (the nut) is the product of cross pollination (sexual reproduction) between two pecan trees. ... Of course, you CAN grow a pecan tree from pecan nut. That's how commercial growers get their rootstocks, and it's also how new and different pecan varieties are discovered.