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Though the Stuart is not among the more popular varieties being planted or grafted in Oklahoma today, we continue to list it among the varieties suitable for our state. It continues to grow relatively disease free in our part of the pecan belt.

With the heavy crop load that most of us are seeing during 2007, there are major factors that producers need to consider this time of year. In the majority of orchards that I've been in during this summer, scab, a fungal disease, is a major problem. With all the rain this year, scab has appeared on trees that haven't been previously affected.

Pecan leaves are the key to consistent annual production of pecan nut crops. This was originally proven by research at Oklahoma State University on mature trees and in more recent years by work in Georgia on younger bearing trees.

Certainly it is important to have adequate water to translocate nutrients and cool the plant. However, without adequate sunlight intensity, the pecan tree cannot capture the energy necessary to fill its pecans.

We just had our inaugural pecan-planting workshop, where attendees were able to gain knowledge about planting pecan trees. Presenters gave tips on how to plant, planting locations, tree varieties, weed management and irrigation.

After returning from the Oklahoma and Texas pecan growers association meetings where water management was a topic of discussion, I felt the need to write about pecan water management.

Fertilization is just one pecan management practice that helps maximize crop production and provides optimal tree maintenance. Proper fertilization encourages growth of shoots and leaves, which is essential for increasing crop load and decreasing tree stress.

The concept of growing a tree big enough to provide shade and produce delicious nuts is very appealing to homeowners. However, there are several challenges associated with growing pecan trees in an urban setting.

How much is a pecan tree worth? This question comes up often in Oklahoma and Texas, and can arise for several reasons. To help fill this information gap, several agricultural consultants at the Noble Research Institute created a pecan valuation fact sheet entitled "Assessing the Value of Pecan Trees."

Native pecan production in Oklahoma and north Texas is often considered a "Christmas bonus." If folks are fortunate enough to make a crop, it's great, but not something they have much control over.