Anyone that sells you "SEED PECANS" that "WILL GROW BIG PAPERSHELL PECANS" is either lying or ignorant.
For starters, you don't get big papershell pecans by picking out a big pecan and planting it. The way to get big papershell pecans is to plant about 6 pecans of ANY kind in one location (big or small, it makes no difference). They will come up in the spring. Save the best one, pull up the others. Wait a 2 or 3 years, until tree gets about 2 feet tall and about as big as a pencil, and then graft it with a scion (small limb from a donor tree that has produced pecans that you want your tree to have) This graft doesn't know it is on a tree that is only 2 years old so it will probably produce a pecan or two the next year. If you had not grafted it, it would be 20 to 30 years before it produced and even then, they would more than likely be small.
OSU (Oklahoma State University) has several Factsheet websites on grafting pecans that are easy to understand and will guide you through the grafting procedure. Basically, in February, you gather small limbs from a tree that produces superior pecans or order them from a vendor. These limbs (also known as scions) are then stored in your refrigerator until June 1st. You then graft one onto the tree you want to improve. Texas University Agriculture Dept. also has some information.
OSU has a list of vendors who sell scions. They are reputable people and sell them inexpensively. Generally speaking, the scions are 1 foot long and are meant to be cut into 2 scions each. If you order 20 or so, they run about 50 cents per scion.
I do not sell scions or anything. I just hate to see people waste 20 or 30 years growing a pecan tree only to find it produces small, undesirable pecans when they could have big delicious pecans. It is not uncommon for a tree to produce 100 lbs of pecans. Have you priced them in a store lately? At least $3.00 per lb.
MID: Grafted Mohawk pecans
BOT: Native pecans (some are 1/2 this size)
On right: Mohawk Papershell pecans from my grafted trees
Buying grafted trees is not very successful because a pecan tree has a tap root that is at least as long underground as the tree is tall above ground. When they cut this tap root, the tree usually dies. The best way is to plant pecans and then graft them.
BOT: My results after trying to get halves from 4 native pecans
If you have gained anything from this, check <YES> below and I will ammend this with more information. If there is no interest, I won't. Thanks.
Guide created: 10/27/06 (updated 10/18/09)


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