I planted a Pawnee Pecan tree in my front yard South of Houston about 3 years ago and really haven't seen much growth. The trunk is probably about 1.5'' in diameter and the tree is probably around 5' tall. Is there some sort of fertilizer that I should be applying or something special I should be doing that I don't know about? I feel like the tree should be much taller now since it was about 3' tall when I planted it.

1. Kill the grass in a 5' diameter circle around the trunk
2. Mulch
3. Tree fertilizer spikes work quite well

Should I just glyphosate the area around the tree? I have some rocks and mulch around it now but probably only at about a 1' radius with the tree being the center.

I bought a native pecan tree (B&B style) a few years ago from a tree farm. It started struggling after planting and they recommended Epsom salt to stimulate root growth. He told me 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per gallon of water, 5 gallons per monthly treatment. Supposedly helps with transplant shock and it seems to have worked as that tree has been planted 4 years and has grown probably 4-5' in height in 4 years, most of that being last year. Pecans are tough to grow I've learned as I had 2 desirable pecans die in my back yard last year. I replaced them with 1 Choctaw and 1 Caddo, so hopefully those survive and flourish.

Your growth doesn't sound that abnormal for a pecan. They are slow grower, and not always consistent year to year. Also, don't expect pecans really until the tree is closer to 10 years old if it is grafted. A native non-grafted is an even longer wait.

Yes. Did a couple of field trials in the panhandle comparing tree growth (windbreaks) with grass sprayed 1,2, and 3 feet from the young trees. Amazing difference in growth when grass is killed way back. With a 5' tree, 5' is not that big of a deal, and can make a cool landscape piece with some pots.

B-1 83 said:

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Yes. Did a couple of field trials in the panhandle comparing tree growth (windbreaks) with grass sprayed 1,2, and 3 feet from the young trees. Amazing difference in growth when grass is killed way back. With a 5' tree, 5' is not that big of a deal, and can make a cool landscape piece with some pots.

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I'm going to try this with a few young trees I have around the house.

Maximus Johnson said:

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I planted a Pawnee Pecan tree in my front yard South of Houston about 3 years ago and really haven't seen much growth. The trunk is probably about 1.5'' in diameter and the tree is probably around 5' tall. Is there some sort of fertilizer that I should be applying or something special I should be doing that I don't know about? I feel like the tree should be much taller now since it was about 3' tall when I planted it.

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Try Medina Hasta Grow and Medina fish emulsion. Worked great on my tree.

I've grown pecans commercially past 30 years.
You should be getting 18" growth per year on a well cared for young tree in good soil.

Keep area under dripline ( tree canopy) weed free. Hoe or glyphosate, highly recommend hoe weeds and light mulch to dress up a yard tree.

Don't get herbicide on the trunk & don't use weed and feed.

Pecans need ample water & nitrogen fertilizer to thrive.
I follow trashy trunk method for young pecan trees.

Follow this guide written by the world's experts in pecan production, Aggie Horticulture.


https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/pecan/pecan.html

Animal, I have some questions.

My folks have some old mature papershell pecans my grandpa planted. No idea how long ago, and could be wrong, but think I remember 70 years ago.

The last 5 or so years they aren't producing any (less than 5 uncracked gallons). They using to produce truckloads.

Is there anything we should do? Have they outlived their productive life? How can I take a cutting or something to reproduce them for other members of our family?

No zinc???

college of AG said:

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Animal, I have some questions.

My folks have some old mature papershell pecans my grandpa planted. No idea how long ago, and could be wrong, but think I remember 70 years ago.

The last 5 or so years they aren't producing any (less than 5 uncracked gallons). They using to produce truckloads.

Is there anything we should do? Have they outlived their productive life? How can I take a cutting or something to reproduce them for other members of our family?

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Trees won't make crops without nutrition and water.
My guess is they are stressed from inadequate water.

Send a soil sample to TAMU soil lab. Indicate you want to grow pecans.
Follow the instructions for taking the sample.
Fertilize per the soil test results for your soil.

My guess is all you'll need is nitrogen. Either ammonium sulphate 21-0-0 or urea 41-0-0 in 3 split applications.
Follow soil test recommendations not my educated guesses.

Irrigate to provide adequate water. That will be equivalent of 2" per week, depending on soils ability to store water. You have to provide water biweekly.

That's why pecans grow best on deep alluvial soil, well drained yet excellent water holding capacity.
My pecan trees are growing in Norwood silt loam that I know is at least 16 feet deep of topsoil based on recent excavation to bury an old frame house.
It is an historical watercourse of the Colorado River.

Here is an excellent Aggie Horticulture reference for pecan water needs.
https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/newsletters/hortupdate/hortupdate_archives/2001/sep01/art4sep.html#:~:text=To%20a%20home%20owner%2C%20this,can%20endure%20without%20being%20damaged.

Pecans tree set nut crops based on carbohydrate production and storage. Otherwise they drop nuts.

fburgtx said:

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No zinc???

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Depends on soil type & pH. West of I-35 is probably required in most orchards.
Apply foliar Zinc Nitrate NZN in high pH or high phosphorus soils. Don't get it on peaches or they will defoliate.

Many soils granular zinc sulphate will suffice.

Dr. Benton Storey discovered the need for zinc in pecan production and did his doctoral research on it.
He drove a maroon station wagon with custom license plate " PECAN 1".

He taught Hort418 " Pecan Production " and was in charge of A&M's pecan program.
A good man, I still have letters he wrote to me back before email.

Thank you for the info. Good to hear "They are just too old" isn't the deal.

We will sample and fertilize and water..

Animal, I am in SE TX. I have been applying granular zinc sulphate to the soil at about 5% of the 21-0-0 ammonium sulphate. My production has been ok, not great, except in our droughts (not irrigated). Some say the zinc must be foliar. What say you?

Also, the crows found my 20 tree orchard a few years ago, and they decimated my production. Shooting them is a losing battle. Is there a solution?

Animal 8, '70 here.

Animal Eight 84 said:

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fburgtx said:

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No zinc???

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Depends on soil type & pH. West of I-35 is probably required in most orchards.
Apply foliar Zinc Nitrate NZN in high pH or high phosphorus soils. Don't get it on peaches or they will defoliate.

Many soils granular zinc sulphate will suffice.

Dr. Benton Storey discovered the need for zinc in pecan production and did his doctoral research on it.
He drove a maroon station wagon with custom license plate " PECAN 1".

He taught Hort418 " Pecan Production " and was in charge of A&M's pecan program.
A good man, I still have letters he wrote to me back before email.

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We had a commercial orchard for years near Belton. For the average homeowner, the tree fertilizer spikes are not a bad way to go because of the micros (especially zinc!).

I don't think anyone asked the OP the right 1st question based on my skimming through the thread:

If you were to dig a 2 1/2' to 3' deep post hole near where this tree is located and fill it up to the brim with water, how long does it take for the water to disappear?

MagnumLoad said:

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Animal, I am in SE TX. I have been applying granular zinc sulphate to the soil at about 5% of the 21-0-0 ammonium sulphate. My production has been ok, not great, except in our droughts (not irrigated). Some say the zinc must be foliar. What say you?



Also, the crows found my 20 tree orchard a few years ago, and they decimated my production. Shooting them is a losing battle. Is there a solution?

Animal 8, '70 here.

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Give 'em hell Animal !

NZN is ideal. Trees receive foliar nitrogen so they respond with very large leaf size. I spray all my trees under 30 feet tall with NZN. Use it up in one season or the zinc precipitates out of solution.
Only issue is mature tall trees require a $25,000+ sprayer. Hard to get payback unless very large orchard.

Crows are very smart and a challenge to deter large migratory flocks. I had a big propane cannon that I moved daily. It helped some.
Kill one leave it in the orchard. Others will circle it and caw. Kill a 2nd one. They scatter and learn to leave when they see you. They'll have lookouts in a couple of places.

FYI as a fish in 1980 we made a new outfit sign for the dorm.
We cut the outline for the Animal using the painted Animal from the original outfit sign. I was told few years ago that outfit sign still exists but don't know where.

I am thinking of hitting the crows hard with a wing shoot party this fall. My friends expressed an interest. We will kill way more than 2 hopefully. A good friend insists that crows are tastier than dove and more meat.

Should I do any pruning?

I'm no expert on pecan trees. My opinion is to snip the suckers, with your thumb nail if possible. I find the info on here is helpful to me in regards as to having no undergrowth of the younger trees. I figured the ground cover would help from drying out the soil. Looks like I have some (more) chores when I get off work.

I defer to Animal's opinion, but I think that pecan tree is too young for pruning. Looks healthy. The info he linked is good to read. I got that from A&M a while back.

Hoe out the weeds and grass grass outside the stones for about 3' radius.

Maximus Johnson said:

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Should I do any pruning?

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No, don't prune side growth, train to a single central leader per Aggie Horticulture guide posted earlier.

Trashy trunk with lots of foliage results in best growth for first 7-8 years.

Tree leaves look healthy, tree should be producing its first crop in 2031 !

Animal Eight 84 said:

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MagnumLoad said:

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Animal, I am in SE TX. I have been applying granular zinc sulphate to the soil at about 5% of the 21-0-0 ammonium sulphate. My production has been ok, not great, except in our droughts (not irrigated). Some say the zinc must be foliar. What say you?



Also, the crows found my 20 tree orchard a few years ago, and they decimated my production. Shooting them is a losing battle. Is there a solution?

Animal 8, '70 here.

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Give 'em hell Animal !

NZN is ideal. Trees receive foliar nitrogen so they respond with very large leaf size. I spray all my trees under 30 feet tall with NZN. Use it up in one season or the zinc precipitates out of solution.
Only issue is mature tall trees require a $25,000+ sprayer. Hard to get payback unless very large orchard.

Crows are very smart and a challenge to deter large migratory flocks. I had a big propane cannon that I moved daily. It helped some.
Kill one leave it in the orchard. Others will circle it and caw. Kill a 2nd one. They scatter and learn to leave when they see you. They'll have lookouts in a couple of places.

FYI as a fish in 1980 we made a new outfit sign for the dorm.
We cut the outline for the Animal using the painted Animal from the original outfit sign. I was told few years ago that outfit sign still exists but don't know where.

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We mixed our own with liquid urea and zinc sulfate.