Tag: Orchard

editor1 Orchard

Planting Mature Pecan Trees

As mentioned in an earlier post, pecan trees do very well in New Mexico. We were fortunate to find someone to sell a few to us for the Homestead. According to my Dad, with the trees having the late spring and summer to establish themselves (assuming we give them good quantities of water), we could possible see some pecans on the next year (2013) winter harvest.

To get ready for the trees, we had to identify where we wanted them, the spacing and how we planned to water them. With the ground being so completely dry (due to lack of rain), we had to prepare the ground, soaking it well for several days before the process of digging the hole and planting a tree could begin.

The company selling us the trees (Tree Digger LLC, owned by Brandon Kuykendall – 575-317 8536) recommended forming a well for the trees at least 8 feet in diameter and soaking it down over time so that the soil would be soft enough to dig with his equipment. Pecan orchards are planted with the trees 30 feet apart in rows, with 40 foot rows separating them. I have heard that typically pecan trees around here are planted with 44 trees to the acre.

The trees we will get are 25 year old trees that have been pruned back to allow transplanting. The cost for trees of this type (including digging the hole and delivery) is $500. We had budgeted $2000 for pecans, so we are able to buy four without busting the budget. We laid out our plan for the trees to be planted 30 feet apart in a square formation. This will make it easy to set up the automatic drip system for watering.

We have prepared the wells, and put together a temporary automatic watering system for the four pecans and two fruit trees (we couldn’t wait and bought the fruit trees our first week in the RV). Basically, DH bought the PVC pipes we will use for the underground system once the trees are in place, but laid it out on top without gluing the pieces together. Then, we attached the layout to a water hose and set up a timer to automatically water the wells a few minutes every 8 hours. This gives time for the water to soak in well into the soil without running over the wells we prepared.

One of the holes for a pecan is ready; we’re now waiting for the delivery of the trees.

Soon to be home for a Mature Pecan Tree

After the trees are delivered, we’ll share more information. I hope to video the digging of the other holes and the tree delivery. I have seen orchards around town that have mature trees that were obviously transplanted either last year or the year before. I’ll try to get a few photos to show what we expect our trees to look like in just a year or two.

With the barren nature of our 5 acres here, the addition of trees will make a huge difference.

editor1 Gardening, Homestead, Orchard

Kiwi Vines

Annanasnaja arguta kiwi

Did you know that kiwis have 10 times the amount of Vitamin C in lemons? There are several different types of hardy kiwis that can grow in many different zones — some as far north as zone 3. The female kiwis, with their beautiful vines can produce up to 25 lbs of fruit each year when mature. Since the kiwis need a male for pollination, and the male can pollinate up to 8 different female vines, I’m thinking we might as well purchase several different varieties to see which produce best for our area and to give us extra fruit for trade and wine-making.

The arguta kiwis produce smaller fruit than the fuzzy fruit we are accustomed to seeing in the grocery stores. Rather, these fruits are smaller, perhaps the size of large grapes, but with the same distinctive kiwi flavor. Without the fuzzy skin, these can be eaten out of hand without peeling. Apparently, they are even sweeter than the grocery store kiwis (and easier to eat, I’m thinking).

Ken's Red arguta kiwi

Since they are vines that will need support, I’m envisioning trellises for the outside sitting area in the style of a pergola. Not only will the framework provide support for the vines, but the vines will provide additional shade during the hot summer months.

My plans for using the kiwis (in addition to eating them fresh) include jam-making, juice making and wine-making. Perhaps I can can them for use in pies… I can see that there will be room for experimentation with this fruit that many folks never think of growing in the backyard.

Michigan State Hardy

According to what I read about them at the Raintree Nursery site, it seems most varieties are ready to harvest in either September or October. Apparently, you can store them for a very long while in the refrigerator, setting them out on a countertop for softening when you want to eat them.

Since the arguta kiwis are recommended for Zones 5-9, I think we’ll be smack dab in the middle of their ideal growing climate. With first fruit expected in 2-5 years, and an expected life of 50 years, I can see that we have many productive years ahead.

editor1 Homestead, Orchard, Pecan Cracker

Pecan Trees for the Homestead

photo courtesy of Dohmann Pecan Farms, Alvin, TX
Pecan trees are a part of our plan for the homestead. New Mexico is the 3rd largest producer of pecans (after Georgia and Texas), so they grow quite well in the region. We plan to plant several of the trees on the 5 acres, and to eventually produce pecans for our own use and for sale or trade. On a good year, a mature (15 year) pecan tree can produce 50 pounds of nuts per tree. Older trees can produce 100-200 pounds of nuts per year if well-watered and fertilized.

Pecan trees need a good deal of water, so some form of irrigation is a must in dry southern New Mexico. Our plan is to build a watering system using water from our well. We’ve designed and installed our own watering systems in several places, so it shouldn’t be a problem. However, pecan trees do better with an occasional flooding than with frequent sprinkling. They need a deep watering to produce well. Apparently, water is very critical during the late-summer and autumn months for production in the next year.

NMSU has a very helpful publication with information about planting and care of pecan trees in New Mexico. From their publication I learned this:

Plant at least two varieties to ensure pollination. Varieties suggested for planting in New Mexico include ‘Western Schley’, ‘Cheyenne’, ‘Ideal’ (‘Bradley’) and ‘Wichita’. The last two varieties are recommended as good pollinators.

A family friend still sells mature trees, of which we hope to buy at least two. Perhaps we’ll plant 2-3 more bare root trees from nursery stock to add to the orchard at a lower cost.

NMSU has another very helpful publication about the transplantation of mature trees. From that publication, I learned:

Mature pecan trees can be transplanted successfully at
any time of year in New Mexico. However, winter-transplanted
trees certainly experience far less water stress—
orchard water loss is minimal when the weather is cool;
the trees are dormant with minimal to no water needs;
and the root system has a chance to regenerate before
the heat of summer arrives.


Along with planting the trees, we have investigated the possibility of purchasing a cracking machine. Many homeowners have pecan trees in their yards and, like most people, find hand-shelling too tedious to do in large quantity. Our thought is that we could potentially barter cracking services for a portion of the harvest, which could be bartered for other things or sold.

There is a huge range of pecan processing equipment out there, but most of it seems to cater to large commercial processing operations. I found a couple of different crackers that seem to be a bit more attractive in terms of size and cost to a small homestead project. It looks like the approximate cost of the cracker would be about $3000. More investigation will certainly be done before any purchase is made.

Many cultivars bear in large quantity only every other year, so having several trees will increase our chances of a decent crop every year. With a bit of care, including pruning, watering and soil amendment, when needed, these trees will produce nuts, provide shade and produce leaf mulch long after our lives are done.