Pecan trees are native to south central North America, and they grow best in deep, loamy soil. Their buttery nuts are baked into pies and other sweet desserts, and the wood can be used to make furniture or flooring. Growing a pecan tree starts with planting a bare-root or pot-grown tree in a spot well away from buildings and other obstacles. The tree will begin producing nuts after four to eight years, and needs plenty of water to produce hearty nuts.

Choosing a Variety and Planting Site

1. Learn about the different varieties. Different pecan tree varieties grow to varying sizes and produce distinct nuts. Whether you're looking for a tall shade tree that will grow to over 100 feet (30.5 m) or a tree that produces reliably plump and flavorful nuts, there's bound to be a variety that meets your needs. Try to choose one that's known to grow well in your region, taking winter hardiness and disease resistance into account. Here are just a few popular choices
• Elliot: Has a high quality but small nut and bears fruit every other year. It should not be planted in northern areas since it can get damaged by spring freezes; does well in Georgia.
• Gloria Grande: Produces large, thick-shelled nuts almost every year, and is resistant to scab, which commonly damages pecan trees. Susceptible to black aphids.
• Amling: Scab-resistant and early to harvest. Produces small, good-quality nuts.
• Sumner: Easily damaged, but produces regularly.
• Gafford: Highly insect resistant and popular in Alabama; produces excellent nuts.
• McMillan: Very productive and relatively low maintenance; popular in Alabama.

2. Pick a sunny planting spot with plenty of room. Pecan trees can grow over 100 feet (30.5 m) tall, and they have root systems that stretch deep and wide. They need plenty of space, whether you're planting them in your yard or in an orchard. When you're choosing a spot, take the following into consideration:
• Make sure there are no buildings or other trees nearby. A pecan tree could damage buildings or smaller trees with falling branches as it grows bigger.
• In an orchard, plant the trees at least 60 feet (18.3 m) apart. Allow for approximately 65 to 80 feet (19.81 to 24.38 m) spacing between each pecan tree that you plant. If trees are crowded, the faster growing tree will over-shadow the slower tree, stunt it, and kill it eventually, hampering both trees' crops.
• Pecan trees take 20 to 25 years to mature. Some growers will plant trees 30 feet apart, and remove half the trees at around 15 years, when they begin to crowd each other.

3. Make sure the soil is well-drained and deep. This type of soil is the healthiest for pecans, which are native to river valley soils. They prefer sandy loam but can be planted in heavier soil as well, as long as it's well-draining. Rocky or light soil is a more difficult environment for pecans.
• Avoid planting in very dry or light soil, unless you plan to irrigate, since pecans need a lot of water.
• Avoid frost pockets where cold air settles, since they get damaged by frost. Plant at slightly higher elevation (but lower latitude).

4. Choose between a bare-root tree or a container tree. Pecans are most commonly sold as bare-root trees, which are baby trees no more than a few feet tall. Container trees are also available; trees grown this way are usually a few years older.
• A bare-root is cheaper but more fragile, and must be planted between December and March.
• A container tree is more expensive but sturdier, and can be planted between October and May.

5. Plant trees the day you bring them home. Exposing them to heat and dry air will cause the roots to dry out. Remember that pecan trees, above all, need to be kept moist. They die quickly when they dry out.
• If you have a container tree ready to be planted, you can keep it above ground for a day or two longer if you make sure to water it.
• Revive a dry tree by soaking the roots before planting.


Follow this link to read this post on our blog: http://farmkonnectng.com/blog/2018/05/31/pecan-farming-1/

Kindly follow this link to read more interesting agricultural articles- http://farmkonnectng.com/blog
Follow us on twitter @farmkonnectng
Instagram @farmkonnectng
Like our page on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/farmkonnect