Planting and Care of Young
Pecan Trees
Lenny Wells
University of Georgia
Tree Types
• Container grown
– Plant late September or
early October is best
– Plant while dormant
works well
– Spring planting less
successful
• Bareroot
– Plant while dormant:
January - March
Planting Too Deep
• Most common cause of problems with
young pecan trees
– Trees unable to develop adequate brace roots
Why are trees commonly planted too deep?
When a tree is grafted below
soil line, an artificial planting
depth discoloration is created
when soil is mounded back,
and trees are replanted to this
depth “the depth they grew in
the nursery”. They often then
sink further as soil settles.
Pecan, roots won’t readily develop
from the mature-wood grafted top.
So major roots needed for
anchorage cannot develop except
underground several inches,
where their effectiveness is greatly
diminished.
Bill Goff
• Planting Depth
– Better to plant
too shallow than
too deep
– Highest lateral
root even with
or just under
soil line
Planting
• Bareroot: prune root to 18
inches, remove lateral
roots; prune top by 1/3-1/4.
• Container: prune any
wrapped roots at container
bottom
30”
20”
10”
Root length at planting
Tree survival & growth depends on new
root development, not the existing root
system. New roots develop from the cut
surface. More important in tighter
soils.
Root Pruning
Planting
• Do not allow tree roots to dry
out
• Heal-in for long term
– Keep roots moist and covered
in field
• Dig with 18” auger, deep
enough to hold root system
• Fill hole with same soil
• Fill hole ¼-1/2 full of water, add
dirt into the hole
• Pack soil, but do not compact
• Protect trunks from sunscald
& herbicide
– Trunk wraps/guards
– White latex paint
• Prune top back by 1/3 to ¼
– Faster rate of growth & more
vigorous
– Leave 2 buds
What size tree should I plant?
Growth Response (m)
5
a
c
b
4
c
3
Height after 6
yrs
Canopy Diam.
After 6 yrs
b
2
1
0
Small
Medium
Small=3’-6’
Medium=6’-7’
Large=7’-9’
Large
Wood, 1996
THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS
IN YOUNG TREE SURVIVAL & GROWTH
• Eliminate Weed Competition
• Adequate irrigation
• ‘Kanza’ on Giles rootstock
• Bareroot whips ≈ 6 ft tall
• Irrigated as needed with solidset sprinkler
• Circles maintained vegetation
free with glyphosate, entire
area treated with Surflan
• Results
– No effect &
year
– 3rd year largest tree in 3 – 24 ft
vegetation-free circle
– 4th year largest tree in 6 – 24 ft
vegetation-free circle
– 5th & 6th largest in 24 ft
vegetation-free circle
1st
2nd
Trunk diameter (inches)
Vegetation-free Distance
in Bermudagrass Sod
0.8
0.4
1st growing season
0
2.0
1.5
3rd growing season
1.0
8
7
18% larger
6th growing season
6
0
3
6
12 24
Vegetation-free dia. (feet)
Mike Smith
YIELD
• Token yield in the
growing seasons.
5th
0.5
0.4
&
0.3
6th
0.2
0.1
– 5th year 6 ft or greater
produced most yield
– 6th year 24 ft dia most yield
5th growing season
0.0
0.5
0
4
8
12
16
20
24
•
7th
growing season 18
lbs/tree (1089 lb/a; 20’x35’
spacing) with 24 ft dia.
Yield (lb/tree)
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
6th growing season
0.0
20
0
4
8
12
16
20
24
334% increase
15
10
5
7th growing season
0
0
4
8
12
16
20
Vegetation-free dia. (ft)
Mike Smith
24
What Herbicides are Safe to Use
Around Young Trees?
• Postmergence:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Glyphosate or Paraquat ---burndown
Sandea---nutsedge, pigweed, wild radish
Aim---pigweed/morning glory
Basagran—some broadleafs and yellow nutsedge
Poast---annual and perennial grasses
Select---annual/perennial grasses
Fusilade---annual/perennial grasses
• Pre-emergence:
– Surflan
– Prowl
– Chateau
Irrigating Young Trees
– Drip
• Most efficient water application method.
• Need to cover about 50% of the root
zone with water.
• Can apply nitrogen through the irrigation
system.
• Requires excellent filtration.
• Requires treatment for microorganisms
to avoid stoppage if water source is
surface.
• Can be automated.
– Microsprinkler
• Less efficient water application than drip,
but acceptable.
• Can cover most of the root zone.
• Requires good filtration, but not as good
as drip.
• Can be automated.
1st year trees
4hrs every other day (8 gph emitter)
Budbreak through September
Protecting Young Trees From Pests
• Budbreak:
– Pecan budmoth (chlorpyrifos)
– Phylloxera (imidacloprid,
chlorpyrifos)
– Boring Beetles (chlorpyrifos)
– Asian Ambrosia Beetle
(permethrin)
Pecan Budmoth
Damage
• Budbreak – July:
– Leaf hoppers (imidacloprid,
chlorpyrifos)
– Thrips (chlorpyrifos)
• June-September:
– Walnut caterpillar, Fall
webworms (chlorpyrifos,
pyrethroid)
Leafhopper Damage
Walnut caterpillar
Deer Protection
• Two ways to
protect trees
from deer:
Garlic Oil Dispenser
Bag of 50: $29.25
Bag of 250: $111.40
www.gemplers.com
– Repellants
– Elimination
Will remove
large bucks for
free
Fertilization
• Year 1:
– No fertilizer until May/June
– ½ lb 10-10-10
– Apply Zinc Sulfate at 1 lb per
tree for the 1st 3 yrs.
– 2-3 sprays foliar Zn
– Mouse Ear Trees:
• Apply Ni at rate of 1.5 qts/100
gallons or
Effect of Temik on Young Pecan Trees
Seedling Shoot Length
SeedlingTrunk Diameter
18
50
40
UT
30
Aldicarb 0.25
Aldicarb 0.5
20
10
Trunk Diameter Increase (cm)
Shoot Length (inches)
60
16
14
12
UT
10
Aldicarb 0.25
8
Aldicarb 0.5
6
4
2
0
0
May
June
August
September
May
November
June
August
September
November
Date
Date
700
Seedling
600
45
UT
Aldicarb 0.25
40
Aldicarb 0.5
35
Dry weight (g)
Chlorophyll Index
50
500
400
300
200
100
0
30
August
September
Date
November
Root
Aldicarb (0.25 lb)
Stem
Aldicarb (0.5 lb)
Total
Untreated
Effect of Temik on Young Pecan
Trees
Trunk Diamter Increase
(cm)
Cape Fear
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Year 1
Temik 0.5 lbs/tree
Year 2
Year 3
Temik 0.25 lbs/tree
% Bearing
Untreated
70
70
50
40
Temik (0.25 lb)
Temik (0.5 lb)
Untreated
30
20
10
0
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Sumner
Trunk Diameter
Increase (mm)
Trunk Diamter
Increase (mm)
60
60
50
40
Temik (0.25 lb)
Temik 0.5 lb)
Untreated
30
20
10
0
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Elliott
First Year Orchard Establishment
Costs
Item
Unit
lime
Ton
1
30
30
Fert
lbs
12
3.33
39.96
Zinc
lbs
24
0.35
8.40
Herbicide
Appl
3
29.25
87.75
Trees
Tree
24
15
360
Labor
hrs
20
7
140
1
13
13
Irrigation (oper.)
Irrig. Install.
acre
Spray Material
acre
Quant.
Price
$ Per acre
$630
2
30
15
Note: Irrigation Installation does not include pump
Costs based on 30 X 60 spacing = 24 trees per acre
Total
$1339.11
Questions?