Pecan planting conditions and propagation methods

Pecan , also known as American pecan, is a nut plant native to North America. In recent years, as domestic awareness of the health value of pecans has deepened, more and more farmers have begun to pay attention to their cultivation. Here we talk about the planting conditions and breeding methods of pecans.

1. How many years does it take for pecan seedlings to bear fruit?

Pecan seedlings usually bear fruit in about 3 years. Pecans are usually sown and raised in the first year, grafted in the spring of the second year, transplanted in the autumn, and will emerge in the autumn and winter of the third year. The seedlings begin to bear fruit about 3 years after cultivation and can reach a high yield in 5 years. The flowering period is from April to May, and the fruiting period is from July to November.

2. Planting conditions of pecans

1. Temperature: Pecans prefer a warm and humid climate, with an annual average temperature of 15.2℃ and a maximum temperature of 41.7℃. They are cold-resistant and will not be frostbitten even at -15℃, but low temperatures during the flowering period will affect flowering, pollination and flower development.

2. Water: Pecans have different water requirements in different phenological periods of the year. Appropriate rainfall is required during the spring shoot growth period before flowering, continuous rainfall should be avoided during the flowering period, and sufficient and uniform rainfall is required during the fruit and bare bud growth period.

3. Light: Pecans are not very demanding on light. They require a cool environment during their young stages. Therefore, artificial shading is required when growing pecan seedlings. Adult trees grow poorly on sunny slopes with barren soil.

4. Soil: The best soils for growing pecans are oily black soil developed from limestone , yellow clay sandstone, slate, and loess developed from shale. Red soil and sandy soil are not suitable for growing pecans.

3. How to propagate pecans

1. Sowing: Pecans can be sown in spring or autumn, but autumn sowing is safer than spring sowing. Autumn sowing can usually be done before the soil freezes. Spring sowing should be early, and can be sown in mid-March. The seeds must be stored in sand.

2. Grafting: The rootstock used for pecan grafting is generally walnut. Collect scion from excellent individual plants, and select full buds in the middle and lower part of the scion with full development branches around the crown, 30 to 40 cm long and 1 to 1.5 cm thick as grafting buds.

3. Cuttings: For pecan propagation by cuttings, usually choose one-year-old strong branches, with a cutting length of 17 to 20 cm. Use ordinary cutting methods, and the survival rate is usually above 90%.

4. Root cuttings: Pecan cuttings are carried out in conjunction with the root collection of seedlings after they are taken out of the nursery, and then they are transplanted in spring. The root diameter is 1 cm and the length is 10 cm. It is suitable to plant them in the bed. The upper cut end of the root must be buried 0.5 to 1 cm below the bed surface.

5. Layering: During the dormant period of pecans, press the strong branches of the mother plant into the soil. After a period of time, the branches will take root. Then separate the branches from the mother plant and transplant them for further cultivation.

That’s it