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enid_gw

fertilizing pecan trees

Enid
19 years ago

I was told now is the best time to fertilize pecans for high yields next year. I was told sulfur? around the tree a circle as far as the branches reach...anybody else has recomendations?

Enid

Comments (6)

  • lucky_p
    19 years ago

    Nope. Feb & June in your area, not Dec.
    Have a look at the site below - there is fairly detailed info on when & what to use.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pecans in FL

  • ksrogers
    19 years ago

    I believe they need lots of magnesium. The 'tree circle' is called the drip line.

  • Enid
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    I guess I should mention these are mature trees, over 10 years old. The have sustained hurricanes, one of them saved my house by deflecting the impact of a large pine. They have been neglected and I want to take a bit better care for them. rarely do I get to enjoy pecans due to a large (voracious) squirrel populations, but that will be taken care of. Thanks for the page on care.
    Enid

  • lucky_p
    19 years ago

    As you'll see in the page I linked, as well as many others you could access by doing a search on pecan culture, etc., zinc is the micronutrient most likely to pose a problem for pecans, so far as deficiencies are concerned. There is considerable debate as to whether or not pecans can take in sufficient zinc through their roots, so most recommendations are for application of zinc sulfate as a foliar spray - difficult for most homeowners to accomplish, particularly on a large mature tree. I do some soil-surface application of zinc sulfate/zinc oxy-sulfate around my trees on a yearly basis, but it may be wasted effort.
    Productive nut trees are heavy nitrogen feeders, so a high-nitrogen fertilizer is in order.

  • duckboy
    15 years ago

    has anyone heard of organically fertilizing pecans? If so please give me some pointers

  • barbara_muret
    15 years ago

    I just spent the entire morning researching fertilizing pecan trees-have pages of stuff... pecans have one year "on and one year "off"
    "on year" Â fertilize every two months (Feb/March especially important) (total of 2-4 lbs yr but something else said that was per inch of trunk width - so I need to call university extension)
    "off year" Â do not fertilize on off year=creates too many nuts the tree canÂt fill with meat
    The April application is made for general maintenance of the treeÂs nutrition.
    OSU extension online literature said: February  March best time for fruit and pecan trees, or at least 3-4 weeks before bud break.

    extension: a 10-10-10 fertilizer 2-4 lbs per pecan tree per year, take leaf sample in July once every 5 yrs for analysis; 2-4 foliar sprayings of zinc 10-20 days apart during first half of growing season may be required

    In split application the last application can be made April following fruit set when last danger of frost has past. (applicable Peach & fruit trees too)

    Those are actual quotes off of what I read this morning. Duckboy has a very valuable note: because fertilizer in the soil, if not used up by plants, does not go anywhere. It will be there forever. There are parts of the US where farms lay empty because the well water is permanently poisoned from years of over-fertilizing crops. And with most plants too much fertilizer in the soil will prevent growth.

    I don't know where duckboy is from but if there is a feedlot or ag university nearby where they raise confined cattle or farm animals - large quantities of dried manure is usually free by the truckload

    nitrogen and zinc is very important to pecans, they use a lot of it

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