How to prune pecan 'oconee'

Late winter while fully dormant, just before budbreak. Train young trees to a central leader with scaffold branches spaced 45–60 cm apart spirally around the trunk. On mature trees, cut water sprouts and suckers at their base, remove dead or diseased wood with clean cuts outside the branch collar, and thin branches that cross or rub.

Annually (structural training for first 5 years; maintenance thereafter). Pecan 'Oconee' is a large orchard tree that needs structural pruning when young to build a strong central leader and well-spaced scaffold branches. Mature trees need lighter annual maintenance — removing dead wood, water sprouts, and any crossing limbs — to sustain high nut yields and canopy health.

Train young trees to a central leader with scaffold branches spaced 45–60 cm apart spirally around the trunk. On mature trees, cut water sprouts and suckers at their base, remove dead or diseased wood with clean cuts outside the branch collar, and thin branches that cross or rub.