Pecan Growing Starts now: Bud break for central Texas pecan trees and orchards is right around the corner. It will not be long until the buds start to swell, sap starts moving up the pecan tree and green starts appearing in the Millican family orchards.
When Is Pecan Tree Bud Break?
It seems that last year we were two weeks late with everything and this year, we will be two weeks early. I have heard that Navajo cultivar already has sprung its new leaves and it will not be long before we can see what kind of inshell pecan crop! This time of year pecan growers are getting their sprayers out and tuned up. Most pecan sprayers have a large PTO or engine driven fan that propels the spray to the top of the canopy.
Pecan Sprayer Calibration
Now is the perfect time to get the pecan sprayer out and calibrate it. Since these pecan machines have been sitting in the barn since last fall, it is a good idea to make sure that they are in tip top shape. It seems to me that most years we have a frozen valve, weathered hose or flat tire! Most pecan chemicals suggest using 100 gallons of water/spray solution per acre. This is where our pecan air blast sprayers are set for our pecan trees. You can contact the sprayer manufacturer or your local Texas AgriLife Extension agent for more information on how to calibrate your sprayer.
What do you spray pecans Trees with?
Zinc (ZN) is the first round of spray that pecans need. Pecan trees are notoriously deficient in this micro nutrient. Back in my days at Texas A&M, we learned in out Hort 418 class that an early season leaf can take up more ZN than an older waxy leaf. These juvenile leaves are very susceptible to burn injury, so proper mixing should be used. As our general rule of thumb, go with a lower rate in the early season and a higher rate when spraying for casebearers. The two most common forms of Zinc used around Millican Pecan Co. are Zinc Sulfate and ZNZ.
A few of the upcoming topics that will be discussed are Pecan Nut Casebearer (PNC) control, Pecan Scab and Pecan weevils sprays.
Tags: Pecans Texas Pecans Pecan Orchard Growing Pecans Pecan Trees San Saba, Texas How to Grow Pecans
