The pecan’s journey from flowering to nuts
It’s that time! Have you seen them? Most of you reading this probably so, but I’ll bet that the majority of the world has not seen pecan flowers. I used to think those long “tassels” hanging from the trees were somehow just part of the leaves. Those “tassels,” or to botanically correct the catkin, are...
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Intensive cultivation in saline soil conditions
Over about six years now and the successful planting of 406 pecan seedlings of seven different cultivars at our University of Arizona Safford Agricultural Center, I am encouraged and enlightened by the observations and results so far that have come out of the research project. More pecan producers than just Arizona producers contend with the...
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Plant hormones’ post-pruning balancing act
At the Arizona Pecan Growers Association’s Conference at the end of August, three local producers gathered for a “Grower’s Panel,” during which they explained their hedging and pruning programs. These producers used video and PowerPoint slides to further expound on their discussion. I remember one of the producers mentioned, “The pecan trees get used to...
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Essential elements in pecan
In the early 20th century, scientists Daniel Arnon and Perry Stout, through the inspiration and guidance of the renowned laboratory of plant nutrition founded by Dr. Hoagland at the University of California Berkley, determined the criteria that would ultimately ascertain if an inorganic mineral was required within a plant to be deemed an “essential element.”...
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Before the nut—pecan flowering and pollination
As I am writing this in April, most pecan shoots around the western pecan production regions are expanding their leaves as flowering begins. Soon, now in May, the tiny promiscuous flowers will emerge and become receptive to the pollen floating in the wind. I have always been interested in how male and female flowers form...
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Cover Crops—Cover up out there!
I have always wondered how many of us in the pecan industry utilize cover crops. Has there ever been a survey on this topic specifically for pecan production operations? I haven’t found any in my search, but there probably hasn’t ever been a formal one conducted across the entire pecan production belt. I bet if...
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Analyzing the 2019 Freeze’s Impact on the West
As I am typing away to write this article, I can’t help but think of all of your faces. All of us out there are still enduring these new norms. I think of everyone and send a prayer that you are staying safe and healthy during these trying times, but I also pray that you...
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Pesky Pest, But Not a Threat
Adult Gray Hairstreak, Strymon melinus. Credit: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org.“Have you seen this before?” A common question that arises in early Spring as buds break and leaves unfold and development ensues. In late May and June, some pecan producers may even encounter nutlets with a tiny hole chewed out of it on one side. I wanted...
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Successful Grafts Take a Careful Craft
Successfully grafting is a meticulous process that requires the producer to develop their craft. Before embarking on this mission, one should consider some essential factors when grafting or budding to propagate a pecan tree. Depending on the pecan growing region, orchard design, or planning phase, the pecan producer will choose a rootstock first—based on its...
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Training Pecan Trees, Setting Some Limits
From the words of late Chris Blanchard, creator of the “Farmer to Farmer” podcast and a MOSES Organic Farmer Conference organizer, “Farms are like two-year-olds. They’re very loud and very insistent about what they need and what they want. If you don’t set some limits, you’re going to be a slave to the two-year-old.” If...
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Accurate Diagnosis is Critical
Examine the rows upon rows of mature pecan trees in your orchard. Tall, sturdy with a full canopy, these trees may look close to perfect to an unfamiliar observer. But like with almost everything in life, once we enter the orchard, once we stand beneath the canopy, and once we look close enough at these...
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Iron—Essential to Humans and to Pecans
All of us at some point in our attendance at various pecan industry events across the Pecan Belt have heard discussions of essential elements that are required by plants and especially those required to successfully grow pecan trees with relatively optimal yields, even though there may be some differences depending on the region where they’re...
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Pecan Flowering: Genesis of the Nut
One thing is for sure, just when you think you have something figured out, nature will turn around and show you differently. In my position thus far, I find myself making recommendations all the time, but I often have to remind myself not to make too specific generalizations for doing things one way across all...
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The Soil is Alive
If you eliminate the other environmental factors (i.e., water, light, temperature), it could be agreed that growing an optimum crop with maximum yield potential is ultimately limited by the health and condition of the soil. This is especially true when your crop is a perennial crop like our pecan tree. After all, a healthy soil...
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Colors of Fall, Colors of Health
Before I get into writing on another topic in pecans here, I want to take a moment and extend my deepest sympathy to our pecan friends who may have been injured or even worse affected by Hurricane Michael that swept through the lower southeastern pecan production region last month. One thing for sure, we all...
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No Holding Back, Good ‘Ole H20
Let’s face it. Fruiting is a high-stress event for any tree. If there are other stresses compounding this event, either this year’s fruit quality or next year’s performance will be impacted significantly. As a perennial crop, ultimately what you do this year sets that crop up for success or failure next year. However, there are...
Read moreGrafting—Some Kind of Magic
In my experiences so far in the pecan industry, I have had the pleasure of meeting many fine folks with some outstanding skills. I just returned from the Western Pecan Growers Conference and added new friends to my contacts. It is fascinating to observe the many diverse skills some of us may acquire along our...
Read moreTraining Pecans for Performance, Perseverance & Productivity
Training is the act of teaching or developing skills and knowledge related to a specific competency, thus improving one’s capability, capacity, performance, steadfastness, and productivity. In this respect, I would like to write here on training the young pecan tree, as I think that is what most may be doing this time of year. Although...
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Shuck Split is Pecan’s Annual Biochemical Ballet
What a time of year for the current development of the pecan! As you may realize and experience yourself, when October comes around, it is most welcome. The cooler days tend to give that extra motivation, that sense of “Hey, it’s not so bad being out here today.” The cooler weather motivates us to get...
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An Unusual Insect: Just a Pest, Not a Threat
There is always “firsts” in the business of Cooperative Extension duties. First time seeing this. first time dealing with that. Back in early to mid-May, just after most catkins were dried up and the pecan female flower pollinated, I experienced a “first” while making farm visits with a certified Pest Control Advisor (PCA) and Certified...
Read moreTransitioning from flood to micro irrigation
Recently I gave a presentation on transitioning to micro-irrigation at the Western Pecan Growers Association conference in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I thought I would present the same information here so that I can expand further on some of these considerations and reach some growers who may have missed the conference but are considering this...
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Bacterial Leaf Scorch identified in Arizona; Survey Launched
In late June of this year the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension’s Plant Pathologist, Dr. Mary Olsen, was contacted to come visit a problematic pecan tree in southeast Arizona. The symptoms on the leaf seemed to resemble a salt toxicity issue, with marginal leaf necrosis. However, through further investigation, it seemed that there were more...
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