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| About the Author willy wombat Federal 31st March 2016 2:50pm #UserID: 13629 Posts: 3 View All willy wombat's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Manfred says... In the wild, pecans rarely get "pinched out". I'm guessing that no-one has replied to this query yet because no-one quite knows what it means. Perhaps you could let us know, with reference to a fruit or nut that does need "pinching out" and a quick description of what you mean by it. | About the Author Manfred tully 13th April 2016 5:34pm #UserID: 9565 Posts: 243 View All Manfred's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author willy wombat Federal 15th April 2016 4:35pm #UserID: 13629 Posts: 3 View All willy wombat's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Manfred says... If you have single leaders 2m tall you should think about pruning them fairly soon. I don't know where Federal is, but if it has 4 typical seasons, sometime about October (pecans are late to leaf in spring) decide how low you want the lower branches and make a sloping cut above a few nodes at about the preferred height. If they are in a lawn, it is best to leave a good bit of clear trunk so you can mow under the trees, but if they are in a forest type situation lower branches will be best to allow picking, and possibly some protection from cockatoos and parrots. You might find you will get pecans up to the height your dog can jump. If you plan to net them, keep them bushy-small. Left to grow, pecans will get to 30m or more. Pecans are a very specialised plant which occurs naturally on creeks and river flats in north America. Nothing has deeper tap roots, and I have never had any success with named varieties bought in because the tap root can't handle being in a pot. A seedling's root will be 30-45 cm long before the shoot emerges, and if you trim it the tree simply won't thrive. Nuts bought at a market around about now will germinate very reliably if you stratify them for a few weeks before you put them in. (Hartman and Kester says 12-16 weeks, but that seems extreme to me.) Field stratification in cold areas. Are yours seedlings grown in place or nursery stock? | About the Author Manfred tully 18th April 2016 9:01am #UserID: 9565 Posts: 243 View All Manfred's Edible Fruit Trees |
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willy wombat says... Thanks Manfred. I have 3 of Daley's finest named varieties growing on a grassy bank with space to spread. I'm growing them as a feature and any nuts will be a bonus. Federal's in northern NSW and is semi-tropical. I'll do as you suggest and wait till October, select some buds and make a cut. Thanks again. | About the Author willy wombat Federal 18th April 2016 5:51pm #UserID: 13629 Posts: 3 View All willy wombat's Edible Fruit Trees |
Manfred says... If I was growing them purely as specimens I wouldn't be pruning them at all. They do become a magnificent tree if left to grow. There are a couple in the front lawn of University House at the ANU, Canberra, which are about 30metres tall, and have never been disciplined in any way. Popular with the cockatoos but not many nuts for their admirers (also the parents of a row of seedlings of mine, on the water tank cut and fill, which have been in about 15 years and still no sign of producing.) | About the Author Manfred tully 23rd April 2016 7:29pm #UserID: 9565 Posts: 243 View All Manfred's Edible Fruit Trees |
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