Moved back to rural family farm Nov 2024. I’ve always been fascinated with pecans since I was a child. I grew up on a corner lot in nearby Brownwood, TX it had 12 pecan trees on about 1/2 acre. I remember one Autumn there were so many Western Schley pecans covering the ground solid like a new floor.
Since the deep freeze Feb 2021 and subsequent drought many native pecan trees on this property have died, A couple of them were close or over 100’ tall. Since moving back I’ve planted 22 grafted trees…Choctaw (2), Lakota (2), Major, Shepherd, Sioux (2), Caddo (2), Pawnee (5), Kanza (2), Forkert, Prilop, Elliott (2). I purchased some from nearby Womack Nursery (good source), Rock Bridge Trees (another good source), and all Choctaw and Pawnee were container trees were purchased from local retailers.
In this part of the country I’ve seen temps over 110 multiple times and negative during severe winter blasts. I’ve also seen 85 degrees followed by 15 degrees only 36 hours later. This area averages 30 inches precip annually so I’m trying a mix of Northern and Southern cultivars. I’ll be posting updates and welcome any feedback. Forgot to mention one small Posey tree (it scabs the worst)
This very loooooong thread is worth reading. Pecan
Suggest getting Adams #5, Amling, Creek, Nacono, Woodman, and Zinner if you want some more diversity in varieties. Adams #5 and Creek are particularly tolerant of shading and crowding which helps a lot when trees are close together.
I spent the day yesterday in Auburn’s grove picking up mostly Lakota pecans. Most varieties have not yet dropped. There was an absolute carpet of pecans under Lakota and Kanza. Adams #5 is just starting to drop.
Thanks I’ve been reading your posts for awhile they have been very informative. I will certainly consider the suggested cultivars but currently I’ve got all I can handle water wise. I water with 5 gallon bottles on a small trailer towed by the Polaris ranger. I’ve tried 2 Nacono trees in the past it didn’t seem to like the untreated groundwater. The trees were probably Apache rootstock I purchased from Womack
Get some Elliott pecans and plant them for rootstocks. Elliott has proven very effective in western calcareous soils.
Is there any that produce better than others with a zinc deficiency?
Yes, but zinc is a critical micronutrient. Elliott can handle it better than most. Riverside can work in some soils. A better choice would be to buy zinc sulphate and spread 10 pounds around every pecan tree (most ag supply stores carry it). Test the soil for pH and if it is too high, work on acidifying the soil.
I’m guessing all the container trees I planted were grafted onto Elliott rootstocks because I purchased from a local retailer who told me they shipped from East TX. I am about their winter hardiness however. Back in 2012 a large old productive Mahan tree on this property overcropped prior to a severe fall freeze. It died in 2013. It was probably 40 years old. Also lost a Choctaw that year and Western finally died following 2021 winter blast
Apache, Elliott, Riverside
One of those tricks you need to know about pecans is that they require fall fertilizer after overbearing. That large old Mahan probably could have been saved if it had 50 pounds of 13-13-13 in October.
True. I miss that beautiful old tree. It frequently overcropped. The Westen never produced here due to scab. Much frost/morning dew in this low spot
Given the scab problems, why did you plant Pawnee? I had never seen a pecan so covered in scab that it is entirely black until I saw Pawnee nuts on the tree. There is still one at my mother’s house which I planted about 30 years ago. Pawnee, Houma, and Surprize are the only pecan varieties I’ve planted or grafted that I ultimately regretted.
For your area, I would have planted Adams #5, Amling, Avalon, Creek, Elliott, Gafford, Kanza, Lakota, McMillan, Prilop, Sterling, and Woodman as primary cultivars. Secondary would be Caddo, Forkert, Moreland, Nacono, Oconee, and Zinner. I would not have planted Choctaw, Pawnee, and Shepherd. I don’t want to critique your choices, you live where you live and choose the varieties you want. But the choices available currently give better options.
Pawnee is a tough cultivar widely planted west of IH-35 (I’m approximately 100 miles west of Waco TX ). I purchased the large container Pawnee trees from local retailers at discount. During the 2020 pandemic I purchased a Pawnee at Wal-Mart. It is thriving today even after a cow or deer knocked the scion back to 2 inch stub in 2021. Of my current selection Posey scabs the worst
Are your Elliott trees producing? If not, and you would like some seed nuts, I have about 3 pounds picked up from Auburn’s grove a couple of days ago.
Not yet I just planted this year. A local retailer was selling them. They seem to be scab resistant and tolerant of groundwater. I am concerned about the cold hardiness or lack thereof I’ve read about
I sold some property outside Norman, OK last year so I dug up Major, Posey, Shepherd, and 1 Kanza ( they were still small) and transplanted here. They survived. Northern pecan trees are expensive but hardy
Just planted 4 more trees from Womack Nursery this weekend. 2 Caddo and 2 Kanza. Bare root on either Apache or Burkett rootstock according to Larry Don Womack