Pecan care guide: when & how to prune, fertilize and spray

When: 4–10 weeks before the last spring frost.

• zones 3–5: about Mar 1 – Apr 12
• zones 6–7: about Feb 4 – Mar 18
• zones 8–10: about Dec 17 – Jan 28

Young pecans need training to a single strong central leader. Mature trees only need dead and low branches removed.

1. Young trees: keep one central leader and remove competing upright shoots.
2. Space side branches 1–2 ft (30–60 cm) apart vertically, removing those with narrow crotch angles.
3. Raise the canopy over time by removing the lowest branches.
4. Mature trees: remove dead, broken and crossing limbs. Hire an arborist for large limbs.

Tools: Loppers, Pruning saw, Pole saw

When: from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after the last spring frost.

• zones 3–5: about Apr 26 – May 24
• zones 6–7: about Apr 1–29
• zones 8–10: about Feb 11 – Mar 11

Pecans need nitrogen and zinc each spring for leaf growth and kernel fill.

1. Broadcast a balanced fertilizer (or 'pecan and nut tree' fertilizer with zinc) under the canopy and beyond the drip line, then water it in.
2. Rule of thumb: about 1 lb (450 g) of 10-10-10 per inch (2.5 cm) of trunk diameter, plus zinc sulfate per the label.

What to use: 🌿 Organic tree & shrub food (e.g. Espoma Tree-tone 6-3-2) · Pecan & nut tree fertilizer with zinc (e.g. 19-5-9 + zinc) · Zinc sulfate (soil or foliar)

When: 2–3 weeks after the last spring frost, then every 2 weeks (3 times a season).

• zones 3–5: about May 24–31
• zones 6–7: about Apr 29 – May 6
• zones 8–10: about Mar 11–18

Foliar zinc on young, expanding leaves prevents rosette, especially in alkaline soils.

1. Spray zinc sulfate or a zinc-chelate foliar product on new leaves of young trees that you can reach. Follow the label rate.

What to use: Zinc sulfate or chelated zinc foliar spray

When: 2–6 weeks after the last spring frost.

• zones 3–5: about May 24 – Jun 21
• zones 6–7: about Apr 29 – May 27
• zones 8–10: about Mar 11 – Apr 8

Mulch keeps roots cool and moist, suppresses weeds and slowly feeds the soil. Applying it after the soil warms lets roots wake up first.

1. Spread 2–3 in (5–7 cm) of mulch over the root zone.
2. Keep mulch 2–3 in (5–7 cm) away from stems and trunks. Mulch piled against bark invites rot and rodents.
3. Don't go deeper than 3 in (7 cm) in total. Too much mulch suffocates roots.

What to use: 🌿 Shredded hardwood or pine bark mulch

When: 6–12 weeks before the first fall frost.

• zones 3–5: about Jul 9 – Aug 20
• zones 6–7: about Aug 2 – Sep 13
• zones 8–10: about Sep 8 – Oct 20

Kernels fill in late summer. Drought then gives light, poorly filled nuts.

1. Water deeply every 1–2 weeks in dry weather across the whole root zone, which is wider than the canopy.

When: from 2 weeks before to 6 weeks after the first fall frost.

• zones 3–5: about Sep 17 – Nov 12
• zones 6–7: about Oct 11 – Dec 6
• zones 8–10: about Nov 17 – Jan 12

Pecans are ripe when the green shucks split and the nuts fall.

1. Gather nuts from the ground every few days once shucks split open, before squirrels and weevils get them.
2. Shake limbs or use a padded pole to bring down the rest.
3. Dry nuts in a single layer in a warm, airy, shaded spot (or mesh bags hung indoors) for 1–3 weeks until the kernels snap rather than bend.
4. Store dried nuts in the shell in a cool, dry place, or shelled in the fridge or freezer. Shelled nuts go rancid at room temperature.

Tools: Nut gatherer (rolling basket), Buckets

When: from the first fall frost to 6 weeks after.

• zones 3–5: about Oct 1 – Nov 12
• zones 6–7: about Oct 25 – Dec 6
• zones 8–10: about Dec 1 – Jan 12

Twig girdler eggs are inside the twigs that drop in fall. Destroying them breaks the cycle.

1. Collect and burn or trash any neatly chewed twigs on the ground.