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The common pecan remains an exotic culture for Our Country. The tree is popular in North America and its fruit has nutritional value. For growing pecans in the middle lane, winter-hardy varieties are chosen and the plantings are provided with good care.
Where does the pecan grow in Our Country
The common pecan is native to the southeastern United States. On the territory of Our Country, it grows in the Crimea, subject to abundant watering. The tree is also found on the Black Sea coast from Sochi to Batumi. In Our Country, it has no industrial significance.
Gardeners cultivate the common pecan in other southern regions. Walnut needs moist hot air and plenty of sun. There are cases of successful cultivation in the middle lane and the Moscow region.
Description of the pecan nut
The common pecan is a member of the Nut family. A tree of deciduous type with a height of 25 to 60 m. In a hot climate it grows up to 40 m, in the middle lane – up to 15 m. The fruiting period is up to 300 years.
The crown is sprawling, wide, in the form of a tent, reaches a girth of 40 m. The trunk is 2 to 3 m in diameter, straight, with brown-gray bark. There are numerous cracks on the surface of the trunk. Shoots are brown, glabrous. Leaves 5 cm long, bright green, alternate. The leaf plate is shiny, smooth, compacted.
Photo of a common pecan tree growing in its natural environment:
Flowers male and female. Male flowers drooping, in the form of earrings, appear at the base of the shoots. Women’s – collected by 3 – 10 pcs. in spike-shaped inflorescences that grow at the ends of young branches. Flowering begins in May and ends in June.
The fruits are oblong, 7 cm long and 3 cm wide. The average weight is 20 g. They are covered with a leathery shell, which becomes hard and cracks as it ripens. The fruits grow in bunches of 3-10 pieces, have an oval shape, a pointed top and a length of 2 cm. The nuts are wrinkled, brown, contain a kernel. They differ from the walnut in the absence of partitions and less pronounced convolutions.
Pecan nuts are rich in vitamins, minerals, folic acid, tannins. They also contain cholesterol-lowering ingredients. The kernels are useful for beriberi, anemia, physical exhaustion, diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
Popular varieties
There are over 150 varieties of the common pecan. Most of them are bred in the USA and Canada. Northern pecans are chosen for cultivation in Our Country. They are highly winter hardy and adapted to temperate climates.
The best varieties of common pecan for Our Country:
- Indiana (Indiana). The oldest hybrid obtained in 1830 in America. Fruits weighing up to 16 g. The variety has a good taste, reminiscent of chocolate. Taste improves a month after harvest. Fruiting in mid-October. The tree tolerates frosts down to -35 ° C.
- Carlson 3 (Carlson 3). The hybrid was bred in Canada. This is one of the most northern varieties of pecans. According to the description, it gives small elongated nuts. The kernel is light brown in color and of good quality. Flowering and fruiting early.
- Stuart (Stuart). A large variety of common pecan, it produces nuts 45 mm long and 20 mm wide. The core is yellow, dense, with a slight sweetish aftertaste. The fruits ripen at the end of September. Growth strength is moderate. Walnut is disease resistant. Tolerates frost down to -35 °C.
- Busseron (Busseron). French hybrid, bred in 1890. Differs in productivity and unpretentiousness in leaving. Fruit weight 12 g. The taste is pleasant, chestnut. The variety has a high immunity to diseases. Frost resistance up to -35 °С.
- Maj. (Major). In early October, the tree bears wide, rounded fruits. The color is gray-brown, weight up to 12 g. The kernels are easily removed and have a unique spicy taste. The hybrid is widespread. Frost resistance down to -36 °С.
- Green River (Green River). The famous American Pecan. Within 2 years after planting, the tree grows slowly, grows rapidly. Fruits with a thin shell, light brown in color. Weight of nuts 15 g. Harvest ripens in early October. The Green River variety withstands frosts down to -36 ° С.
How to grow pecans from seeds
Material for growing pecans from seeds is collected in late autumn. In warm climates, they are immediately planted in the garden. In the middle lane, it is recommended to germinate the seeds first. The strongest seedlings are transferred to the ground.
For autumn planting prepare beds with furrows. Seeds are buried by 5-7 cm. When shoots appear, they are thinned out and the strongest plants are left.
Seedling method of growing common pecan from seeds:
- In December, the seeds are placed in wet sand and kept in a refrigerator or cellar.
- In early March, the material is poured with warm water and left for 2-3 days at room temperature.
- Then the seeds are poured into a container and kept warm. Every day they are washed with water. It is important to ensure that the seeds remain moist and mold does not form on them.
- When the mouths appear, they are transplanted into containers with soil.
In the first year, the nut develops a root. In height, such plants reach 20 – 30 cm. Seedlings require constant watering. In autumn they are planted in open ground.
Planting and caring for pecans
It is important to choose a suitable place for growing the common pecan. Plants are cared for throughout the season. In autumn, the nut is prepared for wintering.
Preparation of planting material and site
Usually gardeners buy seedlings or grafted pecan seedlings. When choosing a plant, it is evaluated visually. Choose a copy without mold, cracks and other damage. Work is carried out in spring or autumn, when the sap flow slows down in the trees.
To get a high yield, it is recommended to plant at least two types of this nut. For cross-pollination between seedlings, 8-10 m are left. Grafting of different varieties on one stock is allowed.
Walnut is undemanding to the composition of the soil. The main condition is to avoid wetlands. It grows best in fertile loose soils. Before planting, the beds are dug up, humus and mineral fertilizers are applied.
Rules of landing
How to plant a pecan:
- First, dig a hole 50 cm deep and 60 cm in diameter.
- Fertile soil is prepared to fill it. Humus and mineral fertilizers can be added to the soil.
- The pit is filled with earth and a support is installed, then a small hill is formed.
- A seedling is placed on top, its roots are covered with soil and compacted.
- The plant is tied to a support.
Watering and top dressing
The soil in the near-stem circle of the nut is regularly moistened. Watering is especially important for young seedlings. At the same time, moisture stagnation is not allowed, which leads to the death of the tree.
Common pecan responds positively to top dressing. In the spring, mullein or a solution of urea is introduced. When forming ovaries, the nut is fertilized with potassium salt and superphosphate. The consumption of each substance per 10 liters of water is 35 g.
Trimming and shaping
Every year, weak, dry and frozen shoots are cut off from the common pecan. Processing is carried out in spring or autumn. For young plantations, formative pruning is performed. The shoots are removed completely. The branches are not shortened, as inflorescences form on them.
Preparation for winter
Most varieties of common pecan are highly winter hardy. Warming is required for young seedlings. Their trunk is wrapped with agrofibre to protect against frost and rodents. In late autumn, the walnut is watered abundantly. Then they spud the trunk and pour a layer of mulch from humus.
Features of growing pecans in the Moscow region
To grow a northern pecan in the Moscow region, it is important to consider a number of nuances:
- choose a winter-hardy grafted variety;
- when grown from seeds, be sure to stratify them;
- allocate an open sunny place under the tree;
- nitrogen fertilizers are applied only in spring, be sure to feed the tree in summer and late autumn.
Pecan is not subject to spring frosts due to early flowering. However, it is recommended to carefully prepare the trees for winter, especially young plantings.
In the conditions of the Moscow region, pecans do not always have time to produce a crop over the summer. An alternative option for planting is heart-shaped hazel. It is a wild relative of the pecan nut that can withstand the winter cold without any problems. Its fruits have a bitter taste.
Harvest
Pecan ordinary ripens in September-October. Ripe fruits fall to the ground. Harvest is formed annually. When grown from seeds, fruiting begins at the 9th year. In the case of grafting, the tree produces a crop for 4 years. A young plant brings up to 5 kg of nuts, an adult – about 15 kg. The maximum yield is 200 kg.
Nuts are consumed raw, dried and roasted. In the shell, pecans are stored for no more than a year at a temperature of 10 – 14 ° C. The peeled kernels are kept in the refrigerator for 6 months, at room conditions – no more than 3-4 weeks.
Reproduction
For propagation of ordinary pecan, the following methods are used:
- Seeds. Pecans are propagated by seedlings or seeds are planted immediately in open ground. Planting material is processed to increase its germination. The strongest seedlings are chosen for cultivation.
- Cuttings. Several young shoots are selected from a young tree and cut off to a length of 15 cm. The cuttings are rooted in a greenhouse or at home. They are constantly looked after: watered, fed with mineral fertilizers, loosened the soil.
- Inoculation. The common pecan is grafted in July or February. As a stock, two-year-old winter-hardy seedlings are used. Healthy cuttings obtained from annual shoots are grafted onto the tree.
Diseases and pests
The most common diseases of the common pecan are scab and spotting. These are fungal diseases that spread in cool weather with high humidity. Scab has the appearance of a brown plaque that spreads throughout the tree. Signs of spotting are dark spots on leaves and shoots.
To combat diseases, special preparations are used: Bordeaux mixture, blue vitriol, Topaz, Oksihom, Fundazol. Processing is carried out no more than 2 times a month.
Common pecan nuts grow in a dense shell, which reliably protects the kernel from pests. In North America, the tree suffers from black aphids, scale insects, and pecan weevil. In Our Country, the plant does not have ethnic pests, so it is rarely attacked by insects.
Conclusion
Common pecans are valued for their nuts containing a complex of nutrients. The tree prefers humid and warm climates. Northern varieties are able to grow in Our Country. Walnut care includes watering, top dressing, pruning and shelter for the winter.
