Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

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

Pecan
Carya illinoinensis

Pecan
Carya illinoinensis

More Edible Plants Questions

Use of cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) for tea
February 20, 2006 - Back in the 50's when I spent the summers with my grandmother south of Hondo, Texas, she use to pick leaves from the cenizo (purple sage) bushes, dry them and then brew them for tea. I asked one of m...
view the full question and answer

Tea made from timothy grass
June 20, 2008 - My mom and I have been drinking tea made from Timothy grass seed for many years, 40 at least. It is delicious, and refreshing. My question is can you see any harm in drinking tea made from the seeds o...
view the full question and answer

Edibility of fruit of Passiflora incarnata
July 19, 2007 - We have Passion flower vines growing, blooming and producing fruit all over our property and the land nearby. They are growing wild. We are near Greensboro, Georgia which is barely in the Northeast pa...
view the full question and answer

Request for wild and edible plant information for Boy Scouts from San Antonio
June 12, 2012 - We are with the Boy Scouts. Is it possible for you to email me information on the Wild and Edible plants at the Government Canyon? WE are teaching our scouts on this subject right now. We have alre...
view the full question and answer

Edible plants native to Austin, TX
August 05, 2009 - Hello, I am a chef from Buenos Aires Argentina visiting Austin, Texas and would like to learn about native, edible plants in the region. Please let me know if there are any native, edible plants...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.