   Get Ready for the 2002 Camp Verde Pecan Show - November 28, 2001 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County On February 9 and 10, 2002, the Town of Camp Verde will host its Second Annual Pecan and Wine Festival. The Festival features locally grown pecans, Arizona wineries, a pecan show, and antique vendors and displays. Last year's, one day Festival was very well attended. So well, that it has been expanded to two days. I encourage all backyard pecan growers to enter the pecan show. Dr. Michael Kilby, University of Arizona Fruit, Nut and Vine Specialist will judge the show and will be giving presentations on pecan tree and grape vine culture. Yavapai County Master Gardeners will assist him in preparing the samples for judging. Bring entries to the Town of Camp Verde Parks and Recreation office (corner of Main St. and Holloman) by 5:00 PM on February 7, 2002. Now is the time to collect and prepare contest entries. Last year, I published some guidelines to help contestants with their entries (see the November 29, 2000 Backyard Gardener on the web site listed below or call the Cottonwood Cooperative Extension Office for a reprint of the column). These guidelines were developed by Dr. Kilby and I strongly recommend reading this material before collecting and submitting your sample(s). The rest of the column will be devoted to some general pecan growing information. Pecan trees make an excellent shade tree and will produce a good nut crop in several areas of the Verde Valley. In fact, Camp Verde has close to 200 acres in pecans that produce approximately 200,000 lbs of pecans annually. Pecans are relatives of the hickory and native to the southern United States. Deep alluvial soils found on river and stream terraces are the best sites for pecans in the Verde Valley. Whatever the soil conditions, good drainage is the most critical factor when selecting suitable sites. Caliche layers should be well broken up before planting. In addition, sites above 3,500 feet in elevation are not suitable for pecans. They may experience spring frost injury, freeze damage and produce poor crops. This includes the cooler, higher elevation sites in Sedona. Pecan seedlings can produce decent nuts, but there are no guarantees. If your objectives include a high-quality nut crop, then use grafted varieties. More than one (preferably three) proven varieties will increase the nut yield by providing cross-pollination. Some appropriate varieties include: Apache, Burkett, Choctaw, Cheyenne, Mohawk, Sioux, Wichita, and Western Schley. These varieties are grafted to a proven rootstock. Before buying trees, ask the grower if the rootstock is well-adapted to Arizona growing conditions. Select bare root trees that are five to seven feet tall having a 3/4 to 1 inch diameter six inches above the bud union. In addition, high quality bare root trees should have many pencil sized lateral roots attached to the taproot. Pecans should be planted between January and mid-March. Never let the roots dry out (not even for one minute). This is the major cause of tree death after planting. When planting, dig a hole at least three feet deep and two feet wide. Fill the hole half full with water, place the tree at the same depth as it was grown at the nursery, then add soil. The soil should force all air pockets out. After 24 hours, check to see if the soil has settled further. If so, add more soil and water again. Pecan trees need regular watering and should not be considered where water supplies are limited. Irrigation water should not have over 1,000 ppm total dissolved solids to avoid salt burn. On loamy soils, irrigation should be necessary about every 10 to 14 days during the first spring and summer. On sandy soils, it may require irrigation every 7 to 10 days. As a general rule-of-thumb, water should go at least two feet deep and be allowed to dry out on the surface two to three inches between watering. The first year will likely require more frequent irrigations than subsequent years. As with any fruit or nut bearing tree, proper pruning is critical. The first five years are most important in developing the modified central leader and scaffold branch framework of the tree. Earlier nut production will occur on trees with the fewest pruning cuts. In home gardens, early production could be sacrificed in favor of an aesthetically pleasing tree. Painting the trunks of young trees with a 50:50 mixture of white latex paint and water will prevent sunscald until the canopy develops. Pecans also require close attention to mineral nutrition. Nitrogen fertilization regulates shoot growth. Too little nitrogen results in diminished shoot growth leading to low vigor and reduced photosynthesis. Too much nitrogen results in excessive shoot growth, which removes energy from nut production. The correct amount of nitrogen will result in 10 to 16 inches of shoot growth per year and optimum nut yields once the tree reaches bearing age. Zinc nutrition is also critical to pecan growth and nut production. Pecan trees deficient in zinc will have a condition called "rosette". Here, new leaves are greatly reduced in size, have thickened veins, and are brittle to the touch. To avoid this condition, a zinc sulfate application should be sprayed directly to the foliage when spring growth begins. In some cases, more than one zinc application is necessary depending on the site and pecan variety. If growing pecans sounds like too much work, then come to the Second Annual Camp Verde Pecan and Wine Show or buy them direct from grower, Dick Tinlin, at the Summer Place, 213 E. Quarterhorse Lane, Camp Verde, call 520-567-5202 for availability. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on gardening and pest control. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 or E-mail us at mgardener@verdeonline.com and be sure to include your address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or submit column ideas at the Backyard Gardener web site: http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/. |