There are several things you have to take care of when maintaining a healthy pecan tree. To ensure that your pecan tree bears delicious and healthy fruit, it is necessary to provide all the necessary factors. Soil, water, and temperature are the three major things to take care of when you want to grow a healthy pecan tree.
Various factors determine how much water your pecan tree needs. The size of your tree, the time of the year (weather), and the type of soil affect the water requirement of your pecan tree. It is very obvious that younger pecan trees require less water than mature and fully grown ones.
The Recommended Amount of Water for Pecan Trees
The typical water requirement for growing a pecan tree is one gallon per day. By the time your tree ages three, it should receive three gallons of water daily. During the hottest month from August to October, you should double the amount of water. So when your tree turns four, you should be giving it 8 gallons of water every day.
How Much to Water Pecan Tree as it Matures?
How much water do pecan trees need? By the age of seven, your pecan tree is at its pre-production stage. Your tree is taller and wider, approaching its nut-bearing phase and will require a substantial amount of water. It is crucial to know how much is enough to keep the area beneath the canopy of the tree wet up to a depth of three to four feet. The initial watering in every spring should be abundant enough to saturate the soil beneath the pecan tree. Afterward, you should water it whenever 60 percent of the initial water evaporates or is used up from the soil.
Soil Type and Water
To judge when and how much you need to water, it is important to consider the type of soil you’re using. Sandy soil can store around one inch of moisture per one foot of soil depth, whereas clay soil can store three times higher than sandy soil.
Do I Still Need to Water a Pecan Tree When it Rains?
If you receive one-inch rainfall and have sandy soil, only the first foot of the soil stores water. You have to give enough water the next day or two days later to fill the required depth beneath the canopy. It is important to understand that rain does not count much when watering pecan trees.
Water for the Growth of Pecan Fruit
There are two main phases in the development of the nut fruit, which requires abundant water. The early-stage (around the end of July) is when the nuts grow to their full size. Good moisture at this phase will result in larger fruit size. Pecan kernels develop in the late summer and early fall. Watering pecan trees is necessary to ensure that the kernels are well filled. Water is needed in large amounts until the shuck opens and splits.
What is the Proper Way to Water Pecan Trees?
Are you curious about how to water pecan trees? When you are watering your pecan tree, make sure to apply the water at the tip of the pecan tree, avoiding the trunk. Watering should be slow as it is best for the pecan tree to soak water. Gradually soaking water is necessary since most of the feeder roots are present in the top 12-24 inches of the soil. Try wetting at least as much of the soil as covered by the shadow of the canopy at high-noon.
Final Word
Pecan trees must be watered at least every two weeks because a three-week drought is the most a pecan tree can withstand. If your pecan tree undergoes water stress during the late stage of its development, it can lead to a major drop in fruit.
