Pecan Usage- Orchard Production

Establishing a new orchard or renovating an older orchard is an exciting time for a pecan grower because it provides an opportunity to significantly improve the productivity of the farm. Growers naturally want to know what the “best” variety is to plant. Blanket recommendations should not be made because every orchard situation is different. Just as every orchard is different, so are growers and the management strategies they employ. Each variety has its own strengths and weaknesses and may or may not be suitable depending upon orchard characteristics. A grower must decide which factors are most important to his situation and make selections accordingly.

Choosing which cultivars to plant can be one of the most difficult decisions a grower has to make. Among the most important factors to consider when selecting a variety are pollination type, disease resistance, alternate bearing potential, precocity (the bearing age of the tree), harvest date, pollination type, nut size and nut quality. It is vital that new cultivars be chosen with care since a productive pecan orchard can last for generations.