GROW PECAN TREES IN THE NORTH

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Members of the Northern Nut Growers Association (NNGA)—a non-profit group dedicated to the promotion of nut growing in the north—have already made exploratory expeditions into this extreme northern range of the pecan. And, as a result of their efforts, a "distribution program" of this rare species is being sponsored—as a public service—by the NNGA.

You see, it was discovered that the few remaining trees are located in fertile bottomland immediately adjacent to rivers . . . areas that are coveted for the production of corn. And sadly enough, there is strong pressure to destroy these remarkable old stands. So, not only does participation in this program offer northern residents the opportunity to grow some super-tasty nuts ... it may also be the last chance to save and regenerate this hardiest of northern pecans.

To obtain a packet of eight of the rare seeds, send a $3.00 check (made payable to "NNGA Pecan Seed Program") to the Northern Nut Growers Association, Inc., Attention: John H. Gordon, Jr., 1385 Campbell Boulevard, North Tonawanda, New York 14120. (Or, for $8.00, you can join the NNGA. Members may buy the seed packet for $2.00 . . . and they get a quarterly newsletter as well and an annual report chock-full of information on growing northern nut species.) However, your order must be received by March 20, 1979 in order to be processed in time for the '79 growing season. That's just days away . . . so you're going to have to act NOW!

In return for providing the seeds, the NNGA will request participants in their program to fill out occasional questionnaires about the performance of the trees over the next 5 to 20 years.
Complete growing instructions will be sent with each seed packet, but it should be remembered that seed-grown trees produce seedlings with a wide range of characteristics. In previous tests, though, the germination performance has averaged 60%, and many of the parent trees have survived winter temperatures as low as - 35° F and have ripened well-filled nuts in seasons as short as 130 frost-free days.

And—although the nuts of these trees are somewhat smaller than the "paper-shelled" pecans produced by their southern cousins—northern pecan kernels are some of the sweetest known to exist!

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print