Fall nitrogen fertilization

  

Since the weather forecast calls for a 60% change of light rain tonight, we decided to apply our fall fertilizer today (photo at right). Hopefully, a light rain will fall over night, melting the fertilizer pellets  and washing the nitrogen into the soil.
    Our fall fertilizer program calls for the application of 100 lbs./acre of urea, which amounts to 46 lbs./acre of actual nitrogen. We broadcast this fertilizer over the entire orchard using a standard buggy we rent from our local fertilizer dealer.
   This fertilizer application is timed to coinside with the fall flush of pecan root growth that occurs as the trees start to prepare for dormancy. Actively growing roots are far more efficient at taking up soil nutrients than roots that are quienscent.