Now is the time for pecan producers with a heavy crop load to thin their crop, according to the University of Georgia Extension pecan blog.
Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, said that growers with Pawnee varieties need to thin their crop now. Those with Cape Fear, Creek, Stuart and other varieties have 2 to 3 more weeks to fruit thin.
It is important to understand the maturity stage of your pecans. Producers can slice through the nuts in cross section, and look for the ‘u’ shaped cavity. If it is the half the length of the nut, the pecans are heavy enough to shake off the tree easily.
Once the cavity reaches full length of the nut, it is time to stop thinning.