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Friday - July 05, 2013

From: Paradise, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Propagation, Edible Plants, Trees
Title: Grafting Pecan Trees
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

I have planted two pecan nuts and now they are about 4 feet tall trees, they have not been grafted but can I graft one of the trees to the other and vice versa and expect pecans from then, they are healthy and I am putting liquid zinc on the leaves.

ANSWER:

Pecan tree grafting is a learned art! To learn some of the details about grafting pecans, look at an online article by Larry Jim Womack in Country World News. He writes, "People who prefer larger pecans with softer shells, rather than the native pecan species, can graft different pecan tree varieties to their already existing native pecan trees. Grafting is joining a preferred pecan tree part to a native pecan tree so that they will eventually grow together." He goes on to explain the following grafting steps:
Collect graftwood in the late winter while it is dormant.
Pick graftwood from healthy, moderate sized trees. Graftwood should have at least 3 buds and be straight and smooth. Bundle together; seal the ends with melted wax, grafting paint or orange shellac. Pack in moss, paper towels or wood shavings and enclose in a plastic bag. Refrigerate at 30-40 degrees until the spring when the trees have 2-3 inches of new growth. T-budding or shield budding, four-flap grafting or patch budding techniques are done.

Texas A&M on their Aggie Horticulture website also have an article on Collecting and Storing Grafting Wood.

In addition, Larry Wells of The University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences has posted an information sheet on Budding and Grafting of Pecans online and describes patch budding, bark grafting, four flap and whip grafting.

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service had posted information about Bark Grafting Pecans on their website. And they have information on Splice and Tongue (Whip) Grafting Pecans on their website.

Lastly, there are good Texas pecan growing instructions from Texas A&M on their Aggie-Horticulture website.

From the Image Gallery

Pecan
Carya illinoinensis