Pecan Tree Usage
Yard & Home Garden
In order to successfully produce pecans in your yard or home garden, low-input management is a must. Selecting a cultivar or variety is the most important decision for successfully growing pecans. There are numerous pecan varieties from which to choose, but only a few are suitable for yard-tree planting because many home orchardists are unable to adequately fend off destructive diseases and insect pests. Fortunately, there are scab-resistant cultivars that can produce quality pecan kernels.
Commonly-found cultivars currently recommended for yard-tree plantings include those found in our Yard & Home Garden collection. To ensure good pollination, plant at least two varieties. This is especially important for areas with few surrounding pecan trees.
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.
Commonly-found cultivars currently recommended for orchard plantings include those found in our Orchard Production collection. 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. Our Pecan Variety Guide consolidates useful facts about each variety into a resource for you to use in planning your orchard. We also recommend finding your local extension agent and speaking with those researching pecan trees and growing conditions in your area for the best results.
