Pecan Trees and Prolonged Dormancy

Why Your Pecan Trees May Not Be Leafing Out Yet

If you have lived in the San Antonio area long enough and own any pecan trees, then you are probably aware that the dormancy stage is typically over by now. You are also probably noticing that this year, that is not the case for many of them in this area. Due to the ongoing drought, many healthy pecan trees may take a little longer to come out of dormancy, which means they may not have leaves just yet.

Here are two ways to test if the branches are still alive:

• Test 1: Take a couple of twigs from the tree and try to break them. If they bend before breaking, they are alive; if they snap instantly, they are from a dead branch. (Make sure to use twigs directly from the tree, not from the ground.)

• Test 2: Scrape the branch with a knife or fingernail to see if there is live material under the thin layer of bark.

If your pecan trees are barely starting to produce leaves over the next month, give us a call and we can come do a free assessment. Remember that even healthy trees may take longer to leaf out during drought conditions, so be patient and wait for some rain.

Happy Spring! Wishing good health and happiness to you and your trees!