We constantly receive numerous emails, phone calls, and even occasionally have people show up at our orchard inquiring about how to care for their pecan trees. In fact, this website is a result of all those inquiries through our years of pecan farming.   If you have a question about pecan tree care, feel free to send us an e-mail.  While I certainly wouldn't claim to be a pecan tree expert, I do know a thing or two about growing pecan trees...and I enjoy hearing about your pecan tree adventures!

Pecan Tree Questions and Answers

Question from Johnny: I want to plant and grow the largest pecan tree possible. Which strain of pecan tree will get the largest? I live in Bakersfield California. I am more interested in the awesome size and looks of the tree than in the quality of the nut.Can you help? I Appreciate it.

Our Answer: First, let me throw this in...all pecan trees grow very slowly. It will be decades before any type of pecan tree you plant will be large. That being said, I would suggest you simply plant a native pecan tree. I personally think they grow faster than any hybrid tree, mainly because a grafted tree has to overcome a major setback, which may take several years. Native pecan trees are beautiful, well shaped trees...their only drawback is the size and quality of nuts, which you said is not of importance to you...good luck!

Question from Bill: I need to install a foundation wall within 3 feet of my large pecan tree, will I kill the tree if I dig that close and about three feet deep to the tree. How do the root grow, out or strait down with a tap root?

Our Answer: Pecan trees have a tap root but also have numerous feeder roots that expand around the base of the tree. I do not think you will kill the tree. You may set it back a bit, but I am sure it will recover with no problem since it is a large tree with an established root system.

Question from Susan: I live in the Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville. I would like to plant just one pecan for shade and of course the nuts. Which variety would be best? Is it okay to mulch around the tree and if so which kind would be best. I have a well, so water is no problem. How about using a soaker hose? Thanks for the site and all the good info.

Our Answer: I would suggest you plant a Pawnee variety. These trees are easily managed, generally have a uniform shape, and grow a bit faster than other varieties. Keep in mind that pecan trees need a pollinator to produce nuts. If there are pecan trees in your immediate area, they should provide sufficient pollination. If there aren't any nearby, you may want to consider planting two...one a different variety, perhaps a Wichita or Western Schley. Mulch will work well around your tree, however I suggest you keep the base of the tree free of mulch to prevent rot and insect infestation. A soaker hose will provide plenty of water. Be sure to allow the soil time to dry between waterings.

Question from Beth:  I live by Lake Texhoma and the wind gets pretty strong at times. I have noticed alot of the pecans have come off of the tree. Will these develop or should we just trash them?

Our Answer:  Ah, and I live in west Texas where the wind blows all the time...so I know the answer to this question. Unless the shucks will split when you squeeze them, the nuts that fell are worthless. The shuck usually dries around the pecan, making it impossible to salvage any usuable nutmeat. Believe me, it hurts to throw them away. I have picked up close to five hundred pounds of early drop pecans and discarded them so far this month.

Queston from Clayton:  I have 2 young pecan trees, about 6 inches in diameter at the base of the trunk, that horses have chewed the bark completley off of. Can these trees be saved?

Our Answer:  Whenever there is a complete break in the bark, whether it be on the trunk or a higher limb, any growth above the break will die.  Bark is the 'skin' of a tree and is essential for the tree's survival.

Question from Ralph: Is it ok to pick pecans off the tree shortly before the green hull cracks open?(trying to beat the squirrels!)

Our Answer:  Give the hull a gentle squeeze and if they split open, your pecans are ready.  However, picking your pecans before the hulls are ready to split will prove to be ah...fruitless.  The hulls will simply dry around the pecans making it next to impossible to salvage any nutmeat.

Question from Texas:  I have 3 pecan trees and need to know when I have to release lady bugs around it so that the sap won't be so bad, or is there another solution.

Our Answer:  Yes it is almost time for the annual aphid invasion.  These insects usually start appearing mid-August.  The severity of aphid infestation usually depends on moisture.  Wet weather seems to create a heavy 'crop' of aphids.  You can spray insecticide on your trees to control these insects.  Most sprays found at your home and garden center are effective on aphids.  Just check the label.  And yes, lady bugs do a wonderful job of controlling aphids as well.

Question from central Texas: I live in central Texas, near Fredericksburg, I planted a 6 foot bare root stock mohawk along with a 12 foot choctaw this past February.  The choctaw came out this spring and looks fabulous.  The smaller mohawk produced small one inch buds but never leafed out. It still appears to be alive, green and pliable, but it never leafed out.  Both trees have been getting identical care (watering, root stimulator, and fertilizer).  Any ideas??? Thank You

Our Answer:  Bare root trees only have a fifty to seventy five percent survival rate, so your success is about par.  I suggest you cut the top one third of your tree off (two feet on the six foot tree.)  Make a clean diagonal cut.  Do not cut the trunk straight across.  You tree roots may not have the 'juice' to provide the entire tree with it's nutrients.  I've had similiar luck with Mohawk trees in the past.  If you need to replace it, I suggest a Pawnee variety.  Give it a try and let me know what happens

Question from Unkown Location:  OK, I know I have zinc deficiency on several of my trees. Now that it is mid-July (and about 100 degrees) what can I do? Is it too late? I am not worried about the crop, these are all small trees. My main concern is their health and long term growth. Any help would be appreiated. I really like the site, please keep up the good work.

Our Answer:  Spray your trees in the evening right at dusk.  It is probably safe to apply zinc now as long as you do not spray the leaves in the heat of the day.  If you wish, you could mix your zinc at half strength and apply, wait a few days and spray another application at half strength.  I really don't think you will damage your trees as long as you avoid spraying in the scalding heat and sunlight.  And thanks for the compliment on the website!

Question from West Texas:  My husband recently cut off a branch on one of our Pecan trees that was mostly dead.  It was about 6-8 inches in dia.  Several days later we noticed that leaves were dying all aroung where he cut.  Did we hurt the tree and what do we do now? We live in West Texas.

Our Answer:  Your problem probably is not from cutting the limb off, but from whatever caused the limb to die in the first place.  There are numerous things that could be affecting you tree's health.  I suggest that you first check your tree for insect infestation, including Pecan Borers, termites, and carpenter ants.  These are wood eating insects and can cause severe damage to a tree. Look closely at  and around the cut on the tree and see if you are able to visually see any small holes or tunnels bored into the trunk.  These would indicate damage caused by any of the above insects.  Other factors causing the leaves to die could be improper care and/or disease.  My advice is to provide the proper care for your tree, including ample water, fertilizer, and zinc.  Apply pesticide to control insect infestation if needed.  Other than that, you just have to let nature take it's course.

Question from Dallas area:  We live in DFW area.  One of our pecan trees leaves are turning yellow and dropping.  Do we need to worry?  The other pecans are doing fine.  What can we do?

Our Answer:  There are several factors which might contribute to leave drop this time of year.  I'm betting your tree is stressing from heat.  Your tree is in 'survival mode.'  If your weather has changed drastically from extreme wet conditions to hot and dry conditions, your tree has basically gone into shock and is trying to adapt to this change.  Apply ample water to all of your trees during periods of extreme heat to prevent them stress.  It doesn't take long at all for a pecan tree to deplete its supply of moisture when temperatures soar.  Also, check your tree for aphids, a small insect about the size of a pin head.  They may either be black or yellow aphids.  These insects feed on the veins of your leaves and cause yellowing and leaf drop.  If you see these on your tree, spray with any over the counter insecticide that claims to kill aphids (nearly all do.)  Water is the main ingredient for healthy pecan trees.  You 'pretty much' can't over-water your pecan trees during hot weather.

Question from somewhere in Texas:  I read a lot of putting zinc on leaves but not the concentration. If I purchase a 50lb bag of Hi-Yield Zinc Sulphate how much water do I add and how many trees will it cover. I have about 100 trees over 120 acres.

Our answer:  Zinc is considered a micro-nutrient, a much needed nutrient applied in small quantities.  I purchase a four pound bag of zinc sulfate yearly which will provide my 120 pecan trees with all the zinc they need.  Please be aware that more is not better when applying zinc to pecan trees.  We mix one pound of zinc sulfate with fifty gallons of water which usually covers all of our trees sufficiently.  (Coverage may variate depending on the type of sprayer you are using.)  Three or four applications are recommended yearly, usually early in the spring just after pollination.  If you intend to apply zinc this late in the year, be sure to do so in the evening around dusk.  Zinc can burn your leaves and cause considerable damage if applied in the heat of the day.  It is probably safe to apply this late into the season as long as you spray during the coolest part of the day...very important.

Question from Arizona: I live in Tucson, Arizona, where we have water restrictions, which affects how I use water for our trees. We have a mature and young pecan tree and both need help. I am afraid Ihave been negligent and now want to save them.  What would happen if I were to fertilize them now and in July? What harm is there in doing it?

Our Answer:  I see no harm in fertilizing your trees now and then again in early July.  The experts say that late fertilization encourages the tree to continue its growth cycle into the winter rather than go into dormancy.  This could possibly cause freeze damage.  However, I think that, given your location, there should be no danger of this situation arising.  In your case with a water restriction to deal with, fertilization is a must.  It can offset the trees' need for water somewhat.  Water your trees as much as you can, fertilize faithfully, and apply zinc to the leaves of your trees.  You should have no problem getting these trees into a productive growth.

Question from East Texas:  We have a very old pecan tree on our property that is just breathtaking. After our last storm, it is beginning to split.One large branch is hanging to the ground. It also seems to be hollow in the middle. What are my options to save this tree? Also, how can you find a tree expert in rural east Texas.

Our Answer:  The storm that damaged your tree in reality just sped up the inevitable.  A hollow tree is a tree in decline and approaching its time to die.  The weight of the upper branches has put a strain on the trunk and caused it to split.  As for what can be done about it, I'm not sure I have a suitable answer, especially without actually seeing the tree.  I do recall when I was a youngster, we had a neighbor with a huge tree in his front yard.  It had begun to split because the trunk was hollow, and he had drilled holes through the tree trunk and ran long bolts through the tree, attaching them to metal plates on the outside of the trunk.  I know it had been many years prior, because the tree had actually grown around the plates and nearly covered them up.  Not knowing exactly the extent of your damage, I do not know if this is feasible.  If it were my tree, and it could be done...I'd do it.  If it is not an option, I would probably leave the tree alone for a period of time and see what happens next.  It is possible your tree will attempt to repair itself.  As for a tree specialist in your area, I cannot recommend anyone specifically.  Whatever the largest city is in your area should have at least one company that specializes in tree service.

Question from South Texas:  We have five large pecan trees on our property on Galveston Bay. During Hurricane Ike, we had 18 inches of salt water covering the ground for approximately 10 hours. We watered the ground thoroughly in the weeks after the storm to dilute the impact of the salt water. All of the trees but one have revived with new leaf growth.  The largest of the trees, however, is showing no signs of producing leaves 9 months after the storm. Is it time to give up on it and cut it down?

Our Answer:  Well, it doesn't sound good.  Start by checking the branches on your tree, if they are brittle and break when you bend them, the tree is probably dead.  Sap is still flowing if the branches bend easily and bounce back when you release them.  However, even if your tree is still alive, it is struggling.  If you have no sign of life from he tree by this time of year, it is in the process of dying.  There is one extreme measure you can take that might bring your tree out of it's decline.  We call it SEVERE PRUNING, and it is a last ditch effort to make your tree live.  Severe pruning is the removal of all limbs and branches above the trunk, and there is a fifty fifty chance the pruning itself will kill the tree.  I have used this technique before and seen it pull a tree out and survive.  Matter of fact, there is a farmer down the road that did this to his trees every spring, and they would sprout new leaves soon afterward.  (He had to do this because he never watered or cared for them.  They eventually died.)  If your tree is large, you may have to seek professional help to get this chore completed.  I think it is worth a try, and if the tree doesn't survive, you've got half your work of removing it already done.  Let me know how it turns out.

Question from somewhere in Texas: My parents have inherited my family's Texas pecan orchard.  My grandfather planted the 15 or more HUGE trees in the mid 1940s.  I believe they are grafted soft shell Burketts? But there are different types - they are all grafted.  Now my grandfather never let anyone touch these trees - especially to prune them.  They are really a mess and haven't been cared for in over 10 years.  Are there special ways to prune a grafted tree?  They haven't produced well in 5 years - is that just because they are old?  How can we get these trees back in shape?

Our Answer: Yes, these pecan trees can be turned around, although it may take several years to get them back in shape.  Pecan trees are 'lazy trees' and prefer to grow their branches low on the trunk, making them a 'pecan bush.'  Pruning is a necessary and on going chore that must be done if your trees are to every become productive and managable.  Pruning is usually done in early spring, prior to the leaves coming out.  But I've never experienced any undesirable effects from pruning during the growing season.  This is what I suggest be done.
What to prune now:
Remove any and all small branches on the trunk that are the diameter of your thumb or smaller.  Remove them all along the trunk to a height of six feet.
Remove all branches/limbs growing low on the trunk from ground level to a height of three feet.  If removing certain limbs will cause a break in the bark (where the bark completely circles that area of the trunk)
leave the necessary branches to prevent 'scalping' the trunk. 
Remove any dead or broken limbs from the tree top.
Next year (between February and April) :  Remove all remaining branches and limbs growing on the trunk to a height of six feet.
This two step process will prevent the trees from stressing and going into shock.  Burkett pecan trees are a prize possession.  They make the most flavorful pecans and are our most popular request from our customers.  Grafted trees, when mature such as yours, require no special pruning.  Once you have them in shape, just keep all growth lower than your head trimmed off.  The age of these trees should not affect their production.  Many pecan trees live well over a hundred years.  Ample water, fertilizer, and zinc applications should make these trees productive.  They should produce a hundred pounds of pecans per tree per year easily if properly taken care of.

Question from South Texas: I purchased two very small peacan trees from around Austin Texas. I am just north of Houston. The trees are now about 6 to 7 years old. They only make every other year and only a few nuts (20) each. Why every other year and why only 20 per tree?

Our Answer: Your pecan trees are just now hitting puberty, the age to bear pecans.  Most pecan trees start producing around six years old and will not produce a sizable crop until age ten or so.  However, there could also be a pollination issue.  You didn't say whether your trees were native or hybrid, but all trees require a pollinator to produce a quality crop.  To insure proper pollination, two varieties are recommended.  As far as the every other year crop, sorry to tell you this, but this is the nature of the pecan tree.  Many varieties, especially natives and Wichitas, are every other year producers, and unexplainably, every tree in Texas seems to be on the same schedule.  This is why Texas almost consistantly produces 60 million pounds every other year, and just as consistantly, only 30 million pounds on the off years.  We have had some success in balancing our crops out by pruning our trees only on the 'on' years, and no pruning on the 'off' years.  Of course, you should be sure you are doing everything you need to do get the most growth and pecan production possible.  Ample water, fertilizer, and zinc will help your trees reach their full potential.

Question from Norty Carolina: I live in NC and one of my 5 trees has ants. A woodpecker has bored a hole in the trunk casing it to ooze sap. What should I do?

Our Answer: The ants are, I'm guessing, carpenter ants, and they can be very distructive.  Not only are they eating the wood of the tree, they will begin to devour the leaves.  Spray with an insecticide that claims to kill ants... leaves, branches, trunk, and the area around the tree.  You need to find the ant colony, probably not far from your tree and destroy it also.  Amdro Ant Killer should do the trick on the ant bed.  The woodpecker is only doing the job he is meant to do, rid your tree of insects.  I don't think he will cause any major damage, and will leave once you have eliminated the ants.  Keep an eye on your tree daily after you spray, and watch your other trees closely.  Repeat your insecticide application if you see more ants.

Question from Oregon:  We have one pecan tree in our yard. It is very tall. Every year there are 'nuts' that fall, but nothing is in them. Someone told us we needed to a second tree for pollination to occur. I read that the male pollen is ready before female flower comes on, on the same tree, and therefore the pollen is 'lost' before the female flower is ready. Is there any way to 'harvest' the pollen and then scatter it when the flowers do show up? I did read that zinc sulfate needs to be sprayed on the leaves. We have never done this. The tree gets plenty of water, I think, from the sub-irrigation of the flood irrigated pasture that is next to it. The tree is about 40 years old, I think. We live in southern Oregon.

Our Answer:  Thanks for your note. The fact that you have nuts, even though they are empty, indicate that your tree is recieving pollination. You did not say how many nuts your tree is producing or their size. A mature tree should produce between seventy five and one hundred pounds of pecans. An empty shell is an indication of a lack of zinc, and probably a need for nitrogen. I suggest you spray zinc sulfate on your tree and fertilize it with ammonium sulfate, which you can buy in fifty pound bags. Apply the zinc spray to the leaves at least three times over a six week period (in the cool part of the day) and give your tree two twenty five pound applications of ammoninum sulfate three weeks apart (water it into the ground sufficiently.) You may want to consider planting another hybrid pecan tree to insure pollination. One more thought...some pecan trees just don't produce good nuts no matter what you do, especially if they are native pecan trees. Hope this helps.