Did you know that it takes approximately 12 years for a pecan tree to fully mature? When grown together and in the right conditions, these trees can grow large and beautiful, provide ample amounts of shade, and of course produce delicious pecans. There’s no wonder why many homeowners are opting to plant these trees.
Care of pecan trees is one of the major concerns surrounding their addition to any property. What can I do to keep it alive? What can I do to help it produce a large harvest every year? What are the conditions that it needs to thrive?
As with most plants, pecan trees prefer certain types of surroundings. The temperature, soil type, and amount of sunlight your tree needs to survive can have an impact on the way it grows and produces.
Here’s what you need to know about growing your own pecan trees together, in the right conditions:
- Temperature
- Placement
- Soil
- Moisture
Temperature
When it comes to temperature, we all have our comfort zones. In the winter, some people find comfort in thick coats and scarves that they wrap around their necks. Alternatively, they may prefer to roast in mid-summer’s sun. The same applies to trees. In turn, this is why a cross-country road trip will bring you close to a huge variety of flowers, shrubs, and trees.
Despite their mild preference for moderately warm weather, pecan trees can tolerate moderate temperatures for a short period of time. In every part of our country, we have outlier weather events that push the thermometer in both directions. With that in mind, as a general rule, pecan trees can grow in hardiness zones 7-9, with some varieties being able to stretch outside of this.
Cold temperatures are not good for pecan trees. In the winter, temperatures between 45 and 55 degrees are ideal, but they can withstand temperatures below 20 degrees. At the other end of the spectrum, pecan trees don’t like getting much hotter than 80 degrees. Despite their ability to go beyond 30, 45, or 80 degrees, it is ideal to stay between 45 and 80 degrees.
Visit Georgia Pecan Nursery to learn more about growing a tree of your own!
Placement
After deciding you live in an area suitable for pecan trees, the next step is to choose where to plant one. The decision to plant a pecan tree is more complicated than choosing where to put one on your property. It is important to keep this in mind, however, there are other factors to consider.
As a first step, you should consider spacing. In general, pecan trees reach a height of around 100 feet and a width of 50 feet (some grow taller, some shorter). As a result, they will require a lot of space when they are planted. Remember that young trees will grow very high, so be careful about where you place them. Any obstacles that could interfere with the growth of the tree should be avoided, such as overhanging parts of buildings and power lines.
You want to give them about 60 to 80 ft between the trees if you are planting more than one. And if you want your trees to produce delicious nuts, you are definitely going to need to plant more than one.
There are two types of pecan trees. The time of release and receptiveness of these pollen varies between the plant types. When trees of different types are planted together, pollination and nut production are greatly increased.
Soil
Trees need healthy roots in order to thrive. Good soil is necessary for a healthy root system. Giving a tree the materials it needs to succeed sets it up for success as the whole tree is being grown directly from the ground.
There are some soils that are better than others. Nutrients, drainage capability, and other factors differ among different mixtures. Besides your local big box hardware store and landscaping center, you can also buy dirt at your local garden center.
There is little difference in the growth of pecan trees in different soil types. Nevertheless, they prefer deep soils that are well-drained, fertile, and able to hold water. A loamy, acidic and alkaline soil suits them best.
Moisture
Water is a necessity for pecan trees. Their growing season requires quite a bit of water – about 60 inches a year. If water is abundant in an area, rainwater can carry much of the load of watering the trees, but irrigation can also be used.
For instance, the period of peak water requirements for pecan trees is in August and September because this is when the trees are in the kernel filling stage. Supplemental irrigation assists natural elements during this time, giving the trees the materials they need to produce a great harvest.