By Clint Thompson Pecan producers in the Southeast should be mindful that ambrosia beetles are currently active and pose a threat to younger tree orchards. University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells cautioned growers about the beetles in the UGA Extension Pecan Blog. “They start emerging in that February-March timeframe, but they’re usually a problem for us …
Expensive Equipment Needs for Beginner Pecan Producers
By Clint Thompson Equipment needs are an obvious and expensive component of pecan production. Southeast growers interested in producing trees need to understand that reality, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist. “For equipment on pecans, that’s one of the biggest expenses. With pecans, there are certain things you have to have if you’re going to do the …
Less Bang for Their Buck: Pecan Producers Receiving Less for Crop
Pecan producers continue to feel the sting of suppressed market prices, according to recent data generated from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service. It noted in its Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook: March 2023, the average grower price for pecans fell from an already low price of $2.16 per pound in 2021 to $1.79 per pound in …
Do Pecan Producers Really Need Herbicide Strips?
By Clint Thompson Maintaining herbicide strips in pecan orchards is an essential management tactic for growers with young trees, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist. It is not as dire, though, for producers with more mature trees. “In a mature orchard, the competition is not going to be as hard on the tree, but also if …
Early Budbreak Could be Devastating for Pecan Producers
By Clint Thompson Early budbreak for pecan trees in the Southeast could be a devastating development for producers. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist, highlighted the concerns growers have with buds breaking 2 to 3 weeks earlier than last year. “It could be good or bad, it just depends on what our weather does between now and …
Pecan Producers Prepare for Ambrosia Beetles
By Clint Thompson Pecan producers should be wary of the first flight of ambrosia beetles in orchards across the Southeast. That means growers with young trees are susceptible to attacks. Beetles live in wooded areas and respond to stress chemicals released from newly planted trees. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, believes trees are especially vulnerable following the …
Pecan Producers on Alert with Hurricane Ian
By Clint Thompson Hurricane Ian’s impending path through South Georgia has pecan farmers on heightened alert this week. Though Ian is expected to be downgraded by the time it leaves Florida, it is still expected to bring high wind gusts and heavy rain events later this week and into the weekend. That is not good news for pecan producers on …
Pecan Producers: Monitor for ‘Active’ Ambrosia Beetles
By Clint Thompson Southeast pecan producers need to protect their crop against ambrosia beetles, which are active right now. According to the University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan blog, growers who have had problems with the pest in the past or who have newly planted trees need to apply sprays of a pyrethroid like Bifenthrin. “Due to the number of …
Alabama Pecan Producers Remain Optimistic
By Clint Thompson Alabama pecan producers are optimistic about next year’s potential crop. But they are also keeping an eye on rising input expenses and the impact fertilizer costs will have on the bottom line. That’s the message being conveyed to Bryan Wilkins, Alabama Extension Research Associate. “They’re farmers, so they’re always optimistic, but they’re keeping an eye on things …
Doing More with Less: How Pecan Producers Can Still Succeed
By Clint Thompson A point of emphasis over the past couple of years with Southeast pecan production is doing more with less. It starts with scab resistant varieties, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist. “That’s been the theme the last year or two in a lot of our presentations, shifting to more resistant varieties that we …