Take care of your pecans now to help ensure a good crop this fall

Pecans are popular and beloved trees in San Angelo and the Concho Valley.

Though they are not exactly low maintenance, they can make a handsome addition to a home landscape; and they not only provide shade, but a delicious edible crop as well. 

Some of the most important maintenance tasks to keep in mind this time of year, to maintain tree health and provide a good crop in the fall, include adding nitrogen fertilizer, zinc fertilizer, irrigation and pecan nut casebearer control.

Young trees will need at least 7-to-10 gallons of water per week, and older trees will need as much as 50 inches of precipitation annually.

Since we average around 20 inches of rainfall in the Concho Valley, that means a significant amount of irrigation is needed to maintain large trees and grow a nice crop of pecans.

Adequate moisture is needed all through the growing season in order for the nuts to grow to full size, then fill well with kernel, and for the shuck to split open at the end of the season — so reliable, steady watering is important.

In order to count on a good crop of nuts, keep an eye out for the pecan nut casebearer in the spring, and the pecan weevil later in the summer. 

The pecan nut casebearer is a small moth that lays eggs in the developing nuts in the spring and can reduce the crop load. 

If the tree has a heavy crop set, it’s ok to not treat because an overloaded tree could benefit from a crop reduction. 

If treatment is needed though, the timing of the spray is very precise. We manage a mailing list regarding the proper timing and recommended spray dates for case bearers, just contact the extension office at 325-659-6528 to sign up. 

Zinc and nitrogen are also important considerations this time of year.  Zinc should be sprayed on the leaves during active growth and nitrogen fertilizer should be broadcast on the ground around the drip line and watered in.  Apply one pound of 21-0-0 fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter, or three-fourths of a pound of 33-0-0 fertilizer per inch diameter.

Pecans have been scientifically researched and have been proven to have great health benefits, and are a very valuable addition to the landscape.  It’s a lot of fun to grow and pick up pecans that you grew yourself.  

Visit the website https://americanpecan.com/ to find out more about the health benefits of pecans, to see lots of tasty recipes, and learn about the history of pecans.

Allison Watkins is the Texas A&M AgriLife extension agent for horticulture in Tom Green County. Email her at aewatkins@ag.tamu.edu.