Carpathian Walnut

[Eugene]

Nuts. Interesting topic.

Zone 6B. Planted Elliot and Pawnee pecans two years ago to pollinate the 3 mature native pecans. The Elliots are doing great, the Pawnees not so good. The Pawnees have died back to the graft. Planted in the same area and watered this summer.

Ordered for next spring Sumner and Desirable pecan, also Jefferson and Yamhill hazel nut.

Two different English walnut trees planted this spring appear to be doing Ok.

I purchase smaller bare root plants from Willis Orchards. Reason, less expensive because some just die and some get eaten by deer.

[lyle11]

If anybody plants pecan trees, especially grafted trees that are prone to “narrow branch angles”, it’s very important that early pruning (training) of the central leader is done to eliminate two branches that have this narrow configuration. What frequently happens is that you get two buds at the top of a young tree and one grows into a nice strong leader while the other emerges at the same point on the trunk and becomes a branch. If the branch is at narrow angle, you will usually get what is referred to as “trapped bark” between the new central leader and the branch. It’ll look fine until you get a storm or, if that doesn’t break it, a heavy crop of nuts and this weak connection will split and break off the tree. Sometimes the weaker branch splits off and other times you lose both and your nice pecan tree is ruined.

On a young tree, in spring before it grows, it is best to prune the tree a few inches back to one strong isolated bud and remove any other secondary shoots at the point of the central leader once growth starts.

Here is a photo of what I am talking about on my Warren pecan tree. These are two lower branches that will be pruned off next spring. You can’t see it in the photo but I can take the branch on each side and push it outward and the crack between the 2 branches will open up just a little bit. There is obviously trapped bark between these branches. It’s not a big deal on branches in the upper tree. One may crack off in a wind storm. But it won’t typically hurt the tree since they tend to grow replacement branches quickly.

Just passing this on because not doing this set my one tree back a couple years. Pecan trees that I can grow here and ripen nuts are limited, but in better pecan growing areas, I’d pay as much attention to planting cultivars that have a strong branch structure as much a nut size and production. You can have a tree that supposed to produce large quantities of big nuts, but if you’re just growing them for your own use, you’ll most likely have more than you can eat. So, it’s probably more important to have a tree that is structurally sound even if the nuts are smaller. So research pecan cultivars before you buy them and avoid trees prone to narrow branch angle and ice damage, especially if they are in a yard and you only have room for 2-3 trees. Pecans are a very nice shade tree but I’ve seen pictures where 1/3 of a mature tree breaks off after an ice storm. Best to get cultivars that are more structurally stable.

I was shocked to see the price of pecan trees for sale at Stark Bros and other online nurseries.

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[Eugene]

I was shocked to see the price of pecan trees for sale as Stark Bros and other online nurseries.

As mentioned before I use Willis Orchards. 2-3' grafted pecan trees, $18.95 each, plus shipping. This years order, $134.75 for 4 trees and shipping.

Previous year's order was close to $200- for nut trees. And then I had to purchase a 250 gallon tote, plus 12 volt water pumps to water the trees because of the severe drought.

[JBax]

Great post. Thx!

[SONNY]

walnut and pecan trees here are 15+ years old and have NEVER produced 1 nut. Both walnut trees have big lumps on the branches and the trees keep getting bigger every year. Same with the 2 pecan trees and the butternut down by the road. Chesnuts started producing nuts at 3 years old and make a mess on the ground when the sticker pods fall off. cant walk near the trees. Mice/voles devour the nuts as they fall to the ground.