Stephanie Adams Archives - Pecan South MagazinePecan South magazine | The pecan industry's leading publication, published monthly for pecan producers, processors and all others involved or interested in the pecan industry.

Image 1. Conductive sapwood (photo courtsey of Paul Ahlen)

by Stephanie Adams Studies

Pruning Pecans: Working With Tree Biology to Meet Your Orchard Goals

Start with your goals! There are many ways to prune a tree, and the right one depends on what you want from the tree and the property. Before anyone picks up a saw, every pecan producer should be able to answer one question: what are the short-term and long-term goals for these trees? Orchard pruning,...

Managing the Critical Root Zone in Pecan Orchards:

In commercial pecan production, management decisions are often driven by what can be readily observed such as the canopy, nut set, and visible symptoms of decline. This emphasis is understandable, but incomplete. The structural integrity and long-term productivity of pecan trees are governed primarily by processes occurring belowground. A shift toward root-centered management is not...

Tree Health Starts in the Roots

Root health is the most overlooked factor in pecan productivity. When trees decline, attention often turns to foliar nutrients, water availability, or soil fertility. Yet the real story begins belowground—within a complex system that most growers rarely see. Healthy soil and healthy roots are not synonymous. A pecan orchard can have biologically rich, well-structured soil...