The time to plant pecan trees is nearing for Georgia producers. Shane Curry, University of Georgia Appling County Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources agent, offers a plethora of options for growers to choose from.
According to Appling County Crop E News, there are multiple varieties that are very popular and viable options for any farmer in Georgia.
Avalon is one of the newer varieties that was bred by University of Georgia scientist Patrick Conner and became available around 2017. It has excellent percent kernel, about 47 nuts per pound and is about the size of the Desirable variety. Maybe most importantly, it is highly resistant to scab disease.
Lakota is another popular option that requires very little input. However, Pawnee is one of its best pollinators and is one of the most scab susceptible cultivars available on the market. Pawnee can require as many as 15 sprays for scab during the growing season. Lakota and Pawnee are also the earliest varieties we plant in Georgia, which can bring the highest prices on the market at that time of year, which is in late September and into October.
Curry said Cape Fear is one of his favorites, though, it is not a low input variety. It will require spraying but yields and quality make it a variety worth planting. It is susceptible to bacterial leaf scorch, and quality can be affected when the tree overloads as it matures. But fruit thinning can help with that problem.
Excel is another variety that requires low inputs and has good scab resistance. Pecan planting is usually done during December and January when the trees are dormant.