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PECAN TREE HEDGING INCREASING IN SOUTHEAST US

Pecan growers in the western US have been hedging pecan trees for decades, the practice of hedging in west Texas, Arizona and New Mexico is nothing new. Pecans growers in these areas are accustomed to hedging practices and many growers have a hedging program they swear by. However, this is not the case in the southeastern US. Many pecan growers in the southeast are still very new to the practice of hedging pecan trees, while many have never hedged any of their orchards, but that is rapidly changing. Some of the first growers in the southeastern US to begin hedging were in Albany Georgia area. The practices were very slow to catch on but now many more growers throughout the southeastern US are beginning to hedge their pecan orchards. This year’s tropical storm only reinforced the benefits yet again with hedged orchards sustaining less damage than non-hedged orchards. The benefits don’t stop there though, most growers report increased spray coverage which ultimately results better scab and pest management. Many growers with hedged orchards also report an increase in yields per acre when hedged properly. This trend is expected to gain even more traction this year as many custom hedging services in the southeast are getting booked further in advance with each passing year. Some growers have elected to purchase their own hedging machine so as to ensure their orchards are hedged on time with the ever-increasing popularity.