If you can believe the National Weather Service we have a 80% chance of receiving a light Fall shower tonight. So today, I thought it wold be the perfect time to make our annual fall fertilizer application (photo above). We spread 100 lbs of urea per acre using conventional fertilizer spreading equipment. With this urea application, we added 46 lbs of nitrogen to each acre of pecan trees.
As pecan trees prepare to move into winter dormancy, they produce a flush of new root growth. These actively growing roots aggressively take up the added nitrogen and store it in woody tissues to be mobilized next spring. With a ready supply of nitrogen, the tree will make vigorous new shoots and ample pistillate flowers next year.
We have been making a Fall fertilizer application in addition to the regular Spring application for over a decade and have seen an overall increase in nut production and a decrease in alternate bearing.