1. Fruit and Pecan Culture Master Gardener Program
Dean McCraw
Extension Horticulturist
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK

2. Time (Years) Required to Bear
Fig 2
Plum 2
Peach 3
Nectarine 3
Persimmon 4
Apple 4
Pear 5
Apricot 5
Pecan 7

3. Pollination Fruit Pecan Usually by insects
Cross pollination may be required
Pecan
Pollen moves by wind
Cross pollination needed
Protandrous vs Protgynous
OCES F-6229 Pollination requirements for
fruit and nuts

4. Pecan Male Flower Catkin is male flower Produces pollen
Borne at end of last season’s growth
May release before female flower is receptive
Variety selection
OCES F-6201

5. Pecan Female Flower Borne at end of current season’s growth
Must be pollinated by male flower (catkin)
Develops into the nut
Variety selection
OCES F6201

6. Site Selection Air drainage Space available Soil Frost pockets
Especially important for peach
Space available
May not have room for trees
Soil
Heavy poorly drained soil may limit potential
Can use raised berm in some cases
OCES F-6244 (Peach) or F-6247 (Pecan)

7. Soils For Fruit & Nut Trees
Depth
Effective rooting depth
May be limited by rock, water
minimum of 3 feet in most cases
Drainage
Internal: berm, perk test
External: slope to open area
Refer to OCES F-6216 Soils for Fruit Trees

8. Tree Spacing Fruit trees Pecan About 400 square feet per tree
No closer than 40 feet apart

9. Tree Root System Tap root Fibrous root systems Nut trees e.g. pecan
Generally require deeper soils
Taproot essentially for anchorage only
Fibrous root systems
Tree fruits e.g. peach, apple
Tolerate more shallow soil

10. Peach Tree Planting Do not prune root system Do not let dry
Keep from freezing
Plant before buds break
Hole big as the root
Bud at ground level

11. Pecan Rootstocks Important to cold hardiness
May impart some characteristics to scion
Bud break
Vigor
Recommendations
Adapted native
Northern variety e.g. Giles

12. Pecan Root System Tap root for tree stability
Feeder roots near surface
Severed taproot re-establishes
Expansive root system

13. Pecan: Bare Root Tree Planting
Plant in Spring
Cut tap root to 18”
Plant in hole large enough to accommodate roots
Graft union at or slightly above ground level

14. Bare Root Pecan Tree Roots: Two Years After Planting
Roots regenerate at cut surface
Tap root re-establishes its self

15. Top Pruning of Bare Root Trees
Cut pecan about half
Cut peach to about 18”
Balances top and root
Can force bud growth

16. Container Pecan Trees Plant in fall Graft if seedling
May have air pruned root system
Remove any circular roots
Do not prune top

17. Non Air Pruned Container Grown Pecan Trees
May have taproot
Remove taproot at planting
Remove any circular growing roots

18. Pruning Reasons to prune Types of cuts Control tree size or shape
Correct injuries
Control bearing
Types of cuts
Heading
Thinning

19. Training Fruit/nut Trees
Peach - OCES F-6228
Open center
Apple
Modified leader
Pecan – OCES F-6245
Central leader
Many other specialty methods

20. Time of Pruning At or after flowering if time allows
Can alter pruning to account for freeze damage
Heavy crop, prune more; light crop, prune less

21. Peach Tree Pruning Remove wood to establish open center structure
Remove upright, crossover, branches
Refer to OCES F -6228

22. 2nd Leaf Pecan Tree Prior to Pruning
Vigorous growth
Many shoots
Objective is central leader
Refer to OCES F 6245

23. 2nd Leaf Pecan Tree After Pruning
Central leader
Temporary scaffolds spaced along leader No
narrow crotches
crow’s feet
Emphasis on structure
Refer to OCES F 6245

24. Preventative Maintenance
Pruning to eliminate narrow crotch angle
Outward pressure with growth forces split
Proper cut to prevent split and aid wound heal

25. Major Pruning Cut Three point cut with final outside “collar”
Pruning paint not necessary
Callus formation and “healing” or over growth
Refer to OCES F 6245

26. Micro-sprinkler Water Application
Broader pattern than in line emitters
Apply more water
Subject to wind blow of pattern
Diameter and gph varies with type
Mature tree 50 gal/day in August

27. Tree vs. Turf Competition for Fescue or Bermuda Chemical inhibition
Moisture
Nutrients
Fescue or Bermuda
Chemical inhibition
Greater grass free area means better growth
OCES CR-6242 Weed Control in Pecans, Apples,
and Peaches

28. Mulch Effect on Pecan Tree Growth
None
3 ft square
6 ft square

29. Tree Nutrition Monitoring
Soil test (F-2207)
Generally useful for pre-plant needs only
Soil content and tree content usually not same
Nutrients not always available
Leaf tissue analysis (F-6232)
Sample collected in July
Measures tissue content
Sample must reflect lab criteria

30. First Year Fertilizer Application
One pound (pint) of complete fertilizer ( ) in band about 6” from trunk
Apply half at bud break, remainder in May/June

31. Sample Fertilizer Schedule (10-10-10 per tree)
Pre-plant - soil sample, adjust pH, P, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn as needed
Year 1 (apply after bud break)
Apple, peach, pecan 1 lb
water and control weeds
Year 2 (apply before bud break)
Apple, peach 2 lbs
Pecan lbs

32. Sample Fertilizer Schedule (10-10-10 per tree)
Year 3
Peach lbs March, 1.5 lbs May
Apple 3 lbs in March
Pecan - 3 lbs in March
Zinc as needed
36% zinc 1 lb per 50 gallons water
Year 4 and up
fertilize IAW leaf analysis

33. Bearing Pecan Tree General Fertilization
Complete fertilizer e.g
1 lb/inch of diameter up to 15”
2 lb/inch of diameter up to 25”
3 lb/inch of diameter over 25”
Zinc
2 lbs 36% zinc sulfate in 100 gallons
2 to 4 applications from bud break to mid July
OCES F-6232

34. Peach Half Bushel Carton

35. Common Rootstocks Peach: Lovell, Halford Pear: P. calleryana
Plum: P. besseyi
Apple
M % of standard
M % of standard
M9 or M27 30% of standard

36. Variety Selection Fruit quality Season of maturity Pest resistance
Tree characteristics e.g. size
Bearing habit
Climatic adaptability
OCES F-6210 Apple and Peach Varieties for OK

37. Peach Variety Selection
Many choices
flesh color
pit adherence
maturity
disease resistance
Individual preferences are key factor

38. Peach Variety Ripening Season
Start in early June
Can continue through September
Early are cling, freestone later
All bloom about the same time

39. Peach Variety Selection
White flesh varieties e.g. ‘Indian Red’, ‘Georgia Belle’, ‘Summer Pearl’
May be red streaked
Little disease resistance
Soft fruit

40. Bounty ripens late July, Loring Early August

41. Peach Fruit Thinning Remove fruit before pit hardens inside the fruit
Usually about 4 weeks before ripening
Thin to average 4-6” between fruit

42. Peach Fruit Size Most common size in OK is 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 inch diameter
Larger size may be uneconomical for grower
Larger fruit have more edible peach per bushel

43. Apple Variety Selection
Color
Shape
Use
Cooking
Dessert
Clone selections

44. Apple Varieties Good eating quality Often have poor color
Strains of ‘Gala’ and ‘Fuji’ are usually good
Delicious types are hard to grow in OK
OCES F-6210

45. Specialty Pruning of Apples
“A frame”, or other shapes
Require more time
May require special rootstock e.g. dwarfing

46. Dwarfing Apple Rootstocks
Affects only tree size
Fruit characteristics remain same
The most dwarfing stocks (e.g. M-26) require support to prevent lodging under load

47. Asian Pears Well adapted to Oklahoma Susceptible to fire blight
Shape like apple
Good as dessert fruit
Not grainy as common pears

48. Early Peach Flowers Snow may not be damaging Snow can insulate
Usually greatest chance of injury the day after the snow

49. Peach Critical Temp: Shuck Split
10% 31F
90% 29F
30 minutes or more

50. Peach: Healthy Flower Freeze can damage only parts of flower.
Anther, style,

51. Peach: Freeze damaged flower
Petals intact,
ovary dead

52. Freeze protection Plastic cover Irrigation prior to freeze
Irrigation during freeze
Supplementary heat

53. Propagation Sexual Asexual Accomplished through the seed
Variability prevents use on orchards
Asexual
Without seed
Eliminates variability
Results in clones with identical members

54. Pecan Scion Wood Good wood must have viable buds
Primary and secondary buds are visible
Has two more buds for emergency use by the plant
F-6217 Collecting and Storing Pecan Propagation Wood

55. Bark Graft Use on stock up to 4 inches Top working larger trees
Put on two, remove one if both take
F-6204 Bark Grafting Pecans

56. Four Flap Graft Use on stock up to size of scion wood
Use to convert seedling trees to variety
Remove wrapping in late summer and apply brace to prevent blow out
F-6230 Four-Flap Grafting of Pecans

57. Shuck Split Nut is mature and ready for harvest
Nut is released from shuck
No longer susceptible to freeze
Nut begins to dry
Time varies with variety (F-6201)

58. Excellent Kernel Quality
Harder to achieve with large nuts
Requires persistent management
Usually requires crop load management
Usually related to nut load and stress

59. Pecan Nut Thinning in Home Situation
Remove with cane pole
Nuts at 50% kernel expansion
About Aug in Central OK
Knock nuts from clusters
OCES F 6251 Pecan Crop Load Management

60. Home Pecan Harvesting Wind may cause drop
Long harvest period increases loss
Cane pole may be best option for home owners
Knock nuts from clusters after shuck split

61. Pecan: Kernels 35-55% of in shell wt. 70-75% fat Get rancid with age
92-97% unsaturated
Healthy diet
Get rancid with age
Storage
700 F 3 Month
320 F 12 Month
00 F 6-10 years
‘Maramec’
‘Pawnee’

62. Latest News on Dietary Benefits of Pecans
Pecan oils (fats)
56% monounsaturated
29% polyunsaturated
Pecans in diet lower cholesterol
Loma Linda Univ.; New Mexico State Univ.
Dietary benefits exceed olive oil

63. Table Grapes Non- slip skin Slip skin
Jupiter – blue, mid July, hardy, muscat
Neptune – white, Aug, hardy, fruity & pleasant
Saturn – red, late July, mod hardy, sweet & fruity
Slip skin
Mars – blue, Aug, very hardy, labrusca flavor
Reliance – pink, late July, hardiest, delicate & highest rated
Venus – blue, mid July, mod hardy, labrusca & muscat
Sunbelt – seeded, blue, mid Aug, hardy, Concord flavor

65. Peach: :Physiological Disorders
Split pit caused by rapid growth in cling varieties
Color splotches can be caused by shade from leaves or can be variety specific

66. Diagnosing Disorders Look for patterns of occurrence Look for insects
Lawn herbicides?
Variety?

67. Beneficial Insects Aid Pest Management
Lady beetle adult and larva
Learn what they look like
Others include
lacewing
assassin bugs
F-7307 Beneficial Insects

68. Peach Tree Borer Control
Trunk drench in early spring
Use traps to determine when to apply
F-7319 – Home Fruit Tree Production
& Pest Management

69. Peach Tree Borer Adult moth lays eggs on trunk Larva bores into trunk
Will kill tree

70. Peach: Plum Curculio Larva result from egg laid on fruit
Larvae migrate to pit
Most prominent “worm” in OK peaches

71. Peach: Plum Curculio Traps
Use to time spray application
Screen or pyramid traps
Sources: Blarney Toe Enterprises, Stillwater, OK
Gemplers, Weevil top only,
OCES F-7190 – Monitoring Adult Weevil Populations
in Pecan & Fruit Trees

72. Peach: Bacterial Spot Best control is resistant varieties
Tree loses leaves in mid summer
Lesion on fruit prior to harvest

73. Pecan Weevil Larvae Results from egg lay inside nut
May be in nut at harvest
Leaves “buckshot” hole at exit
Must control prior to egg lay

74. Pecan Weevil Adult Overwinter in soil under tree
Emerge after rain in July-September
Must treat soon after emergence
Must get full tree coverage with spray
F-7190 Monitoring Adult Weevil Populations in Pecan & Fruit

75. Circle Traps for Weevil Monitoring
Instructions in OCES F 7190
Trap catches adult upon emergence
No catch, no spray
May help reduce population in landscape situation
Sources: Blarney Toe Enterprises, Stillwater, OK
Gemplers, Weevil top only,

76. Peach: Spider Mites Usually occur in hot, dry summer
Yellow spots on leaf surface due to mite on lower surface
Usually associated with broadleaf weeds

77. Peach: Scale First found on twigs Heavy infestation goes to fruit
Control with dormant oil

78. Peach Leaf Curl Fungal disease Infests leaves at bud break
Control with copper fungicide before bud break
Lesions may be various colors

79. Pecan Scab Black splotches on nuts and leaves Results in Treatment
leaf drop
poor nut fill
shuck stick
Treatment
Resistance
Fungicide spray
OCES F 7642 Pecan Diseases Prevention & Control

80. Pecan Phylloxera Galls on stem or leaf Stem is more serious
Insecticide must be applied shortly after bud break in spring
Resistance in some varieties

81. Pecan Nut Casebearer Damage
Adult is moth
Damage in May/June
Time sprays based on egg lay
Use traps to help scout for eggs
Use Bt formulations in home landscape

82. Pecan Nut Casebearer Trap
Bait with pheromone
Hang in tree at convenient height
Catches adult male moth
Use along with egg scouting
OCES F 7189 – The Pecan Nut Casebearer