Getting Started With Silvopasture Using Soil Health Principles
Integrating trees such as a pecan orchard with your grazing system adds biomass to soil, shade for livestock and potential new income for your ranch.
Noble Rancher Articles
Silvopasture category
The Silvopasture Approach to Regenerative Agriculture
Integrating trees, forages and livestock with a silvopasture system can boost income and soil health while reducing the need for outside inputs.
It Takes Two (or More): Understanding Pecan Tree Dichogamy
A common question asked by homeowners is “Can I plant just one pecan tree in my yard or pasture?” To sufficiently answer this question, we must first discuss the dichogamy of a pecan tree and how it affects pollination.
How to Recognize Grafted and Native Pecan Trees for Best Management of Your Orchard
Management needs differ among pecan cultivars. Management between natives and improved pecans can differ dramatically as well.
How to Do a Perc Soil Test for Fruit and Pecan Production
A percolation (perc) test is a soil test used to determine the adsorption of water into the soil. Most municipalities require a specific absorption rate to issue permits for construction of new buildings and new septic systems.
How to Identify and Control Pecan Phylloxera
Pecan phylloxera is an insect that can cause significant damage if ignored or treated incorrectly in pecan orchards. Phylloxera can attack shoots, leaves and fruit of pecan trees. Due to the life cycle of phylloxera, timing is very important to treating the infestation. Once you see galls, it is already too late to stop the infestation.
Drought Stress on Pecan Trees
Drought conditions cause extreme stress on pecan trees. Water is critical for tree survival and nut production, and is involved in all processes within the trees, ranging from nutrient transportation to the production of leaves and fruit. It is important for producers to understand the effects of drought and how pecan trees cope with the stress it brings.
Cross pollination is essential for pecan production
Pollination in the pecan orchard is critical to both the yield and quality of nuts. Pecan trees are cross-pollinated (allogamous) and although self-pollination is possible, the result is largely unsuccessful. Pecan trees are wind-pollinated; therefore, pollinators (i.e., bees) are not required to complete pollination. Cross-pollinated pecans are usually larger and higher quality than self-pollinated pecans. Self-pollination can reduce nut quality and greatly reduce crop yield by as much as 75 percent.
Formula provides basis for tree appraisal
In order to receive financial compensation for the loss of a tree, a value needs to be established.
Using Surface Water for Drip Irrigation
With the return of hot, dry weather to the Southern Great Plains, pecan orchard managers and fruit and vegetable growers are trusting their drip irrigation systems to deliver the quantity and quality of water needed to sustain production throughout the summer.