Pecan trees can reach heights of over 80 feet and expand more than 50 feet. They aren’t appropriate for a tiny backyard. On the other hand, the tree is worth planting if you do have the space, and it will be an inviting legacy for all who come after you.
Pecan trees take a long time to mature, so plan for their ultimate size and if the planting location will be required for another venture in the future. It’d be a real shame to cut down a 30-year-old pecan tree to make room for your new cottage or pool.
How many pecan trees can you plant per acre?
Most fresh pecan growers begin by establishing a pecan orchard where you plant trees in rows. The pecan sector used to be premised on a 35-foot-by-35-foot tree spacing. Nevertheless, the latest economic analysis revealed that a preliminary planting trend of 40 feet x 40 feet is much more lucrative because the broader spacing enables the momentary trees to yield nuts for longer before being removed.
Pecan trees are typically planted in densities varying from 12-48 trees for each acre, allowing for over 1,000 pounds per acre annual yields. With several varieties needing 50 nuts to produce a pound, one acre of pecans might produce 50,000 nuts that you must harvest.
The space between pecan trees varies depending on where you plant them. Commonly, they are spaced on 40 feet by 40 feet grid pattern in their eastern and native ranges, equating to 27 trees for each acre. The trees are diagonally trimmed by half after 16.22 years, leaving 14 pelican trees per acre. The 3rd and last thinning leaving a space of 80 feet by 80 feet with about seven pelican trees per acre at around 25.35 years old.
While planting, you should leave a space between 60-80 feet apart to enable adequate growth. Also, when sowing an orchard, they must be about 60-80 yards away from the permanent structure.
Overpopulated pecan trees would then stifle their growth and reduce their yields. Some trees might be deformed if you plant them too close to each other and do not have enough room to expand.
The tree requires cross-pollination from another pecan tree to produce fruit. The pollen grains are extremely small, and every tree generates billions upon billions. Pollen from pecan trees is carried by wind and can travel long distances. For most cases, other trees in the area are already open for cross-pollination.
A pecan tree in a 1/4 mile of your yard tree is near enough to fertilize it. If you’re within a mile of a pecan grove, that’s close enough. If you can’t find pecans in your area, you’ll have to show more than just one to yield pecan nuts.
How many pecan trees can you plant per acre?: Take away
Don’t be frightened to plant a pecan orchard or tree of your own! Just make a strategy. Whenever you need to understand the number of pecan trees to produce per acre, use the guidelines above.
Related Article: How to Plant Pecan Trees From a Seed?