I bought five bare-rooted pecans trees from Womack nursery in December 2003. I planted them all the same day according to Howard's guidelines. Four of the trees have leafed out great and look very healthy. The largest, a 10 ft Choctaw, hasn't put on one leaf. The limbs are still supple and I can scratch off the bark and see green tissue underneath. It looks okay except it doesn't have a leaf.

I called Womack nursey. Their nurseryman says the larger trees have trouble getting established and recommends I cut off the top 30% of the tree.

What is your opinion of his advice and what else can anyone recommend?

Thanks in advance

Dave in Denton

I would not prune the tree back heavily like that, espcially since the wood is live, as you proved.

I tend to use the sick tree treatment as a preventative measure with any new trees that are planted that have anything but great initial results. The first year a tree is in the ground in a new location, it needs extra care. The larger/older the harder the transplant will be.

Hit it with the treatment and even if there's no leaves, foliar feed spray can be taken in by the bark to help it keep up health.

_________________
Shepherd of the Trees
It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields we know so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.