.. SUPPLEMENTAL PASTURES IN PECAN GROVES
Department of Soils Mimeograph Report 63-3 May, 1963

Nathan Gammon, Jr., Soils Chemist, Department of Soils
Florida Agricultural Experiment Stations, Gainesville.


Proper fertilization and management of pecan groves can provide excellent sup-

plementary pasture in a profitable "two story" agriculture. Careless management

and inadequate fertilization can turn a productive grove into a poor pasture inter-

spersed with unproductive snags.

The following program is recommended because of the relatively low cost and

its potentially high return per dollar invested:

1. Lime soil to pH range 6.0 to 6.5. Dolomite and high calcic lime may be
used alternately in order to maintain an adequate magnesium level.

2. Prepare soil and seed in October, November, or December to Hubam clover
(Floranna variety). Use seeding rates recommended for your area and be
sure to innoculate seed properly. With proper management reseeding in
following years should not be necessary.

3. Fertilize with 0-10-20 containing 1 percent of zinc (ZnO) and percent
borax (B20 ) at the rate of 00 pounds per acre. Or use an 0-8-24 fer-
tilizer with the same minor elements at about 300 pounds per acre. Apply
fertilizer annually between November 1 and January 15.

t. Do not graze until early bloom stage on the clover. Graze at the rate of
about one cow per acre but do not graze enough to prevent development of
a good clover seed crop. After June 1, the grove.may be grazed heavily
until time for harvest or until about October 1 in non-cropping years.

The above program will be worthless if the clover is overgrazed since it

is the clover growth that provides the free nitrogen for the treesaand grasses.

This is a most desirable program even if no animal grazing is practiced. Mature

pecan orchards in which this program was used have produced an average annual

yield of 800 pounds of nuts per acre over an eight-year period. (Average produc-

tion of pecans in Florida during this same period was estimated at less than 250

pounds per acre.)

If a clover cover crop is not used the recommended fertilization and management

program becomes more costly and would include:

1. Lime soil to pH range 5.8 to 6.0, using dolomite and high calcic lime
alternately to maintain an adequate magnesium level.




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2. Fertilize between January 15 and February 15 with materials to provide
the equivalent of 1,000 pounds per acre of an 10-3-5 fertilizer including
percent of zinc (Zn).

3. If grazing is not practiced some moderate disking for weed control will
be all that is required.

h. If grazed, apply an additional minimum of 100 pounds per acre of nitrogen
(N) in July or August.

5. Disc sod prior to nut harvest or at least once in two years to reduce
competition between grass and tree roots.

Nut yields under this last program could be as high as those obtained with

the clover cover crop. However, it has been our observation that the minimum

fertilizer requirements are seldom fully met and the trees will suffer as a

consequence.

Pecan groves can be utilized very effectively as supplementary pastures but

this will be a profitable practice only if the grove is fertilized and managed to

supply the nutrient requirements of both the trees and the grasses.