It is that time of year again. This is a reminder to many of you that have probably already seen this post before, but it has lots of good information in it. Contact the Evans or Candler County Offices if you have questions or would like assistance with your samples. Also, if any of you do not have a copy of the pecan handbook I highly recommend purchasing a copy.
Evans County Office 912-739-1292
Candler Office 912-685-2408
Leaf Sampling for pecans is just around the corner, so start figuring out when you can work it into your schedule for some time next month. July 7- August 7 is the best time to pull your leaf samples determine nutrient levels in the trees. By pulling the samples during this window, we can get an accurate report of the nutrient levels in the trees. This will give you the information to make a plan on fertilization for the rest of the crop year. It is best to pull 50-100 sets of leaflets from different trees around the orchard. In his blog post Time for Leaf Sampling, UGA Pecan Specialist Lenny Wells details the following steps for proper sampling:
- Collect 50- 100 middle-pair of leaflets from the middle leaf of this year’s growth (See figure above). Use terminal shoots exposed to the sun. Avoid twigs from the interior of the tree. Collect leaflets from all sides of the tree. Avoid leaflets damaged by insects and diseases.
- Abnormal trees or trees not representative of the area should be sampled separately. A complete and accurate description of abnormalities should accompany such samples.
- Sample trees of the predominant variety in a given block. If Schley is the main variety, sample Schley; if Stuart is the main variety, then sample Stuart, etc.
- Immediately upon collection, wipe leaves (entire surface, both top and bottom) with a damp cellulose sponge or cheese cloth to remove dust and spray residue. Do not allow the leaves to come into contact with rubber or galvanized containers. Partially air dry and place in the large envelope of the mailing kit.
- If recent soil test data is not available, it would be advisable to collect a soil sample and have it sent to a soil testing laboratory. By sampling the same trees each year, growers can more readily see the results of any changes to their nutritional programs.
Additional information on pecan leaf sampling can be found in Lenny’s blog post What to Look for in Your Leaf Samples.
