Pecans - A Bumper Year

[Ann B.]

Pecans are starting to fall. I truly do not know what makes them be 'bumper crops' one year and almost nothing many others.

The only thing that I recall about this past year is that there have been no hurricanes or tropical storms, the spring was a drought and June and July was a drought.

Do you think that perhaps the lack of the normal heavy rains assisted in pollination?

I don't know, but the trees are loaded and starting to fall... We had a tremendous storm last night, brittle branches are down. I am used to that, but I am in awe when some years, like this one produce an abundance of pecans.

Friends will love me when I invite them to come pick them up!

[Tom]

The question of alternate year pecan production has been a dilemma for many years. It seems that the 'on year' where there is a bumper crop, puts too much demand on the tree's system, which causes it to alter the fruit producing hormones, resulting in a smaller production the next year. However, the quality of the fruit in 'off years' is usually much higher. That is, the nut inside is much more fully developed and solid.

If you had had a storm early in the year, which would have 'thinned' the fruit on the tree, the quality of the remaining nuts would have been better, and the quantity the following year would have been larger.

Some commercial pecan growers actually use their harvesting tree vibrators in the early spring to 'thin' the fruit which improves the quality for the current year and increases production for the next.

One of the major costs in fruit production, is the process of hand thinning crops like apples, peaches, plums, etc. But without that process, the fruit quality would be very limited, and the trees are damaged from the load. Each year I remove 50-60% of the fruit on my trees so that the rest will be larger and better. That is in addition to the drastic prunning that further limits the crop.

Here is a link on the subject:
http://southeastfarmpress.com/equipm...oduction-0424/

[Great-Full]

Glad I stumbled across this thread. I'll pass the link along to my husband
hoping it'll help boost his yard orchard. tThank you for the education, Tom

[abbyjen]

Thanks for the info Tom
Absolutely fascinating - good link too