Need Tree Advice

[bigbendmarine]

Have a pecan tree orchard with 24 trees and this weekend noticed that the rootstock of one fooled me the past year or so and grew up and out larger than the variety grafted on it. Know this as I can see pruning cuts I made in past years on the smaller diameter trunk.

So a few questions... even though I know pecans aren't likely the most grown tree among forum members, hoping that whatever answers apply would be similar trees (pecan in hickory family).

1) Can I safely cut the now dominant rootstock trunk down without causing issue to the trunk of the preferred variety either by physical damage or making it highly susceptible to disease?
2) If so, what's the safest way to cut it? (height of cut?, angle of cut? Sloping cut up to trunk of preferred OR higher cut on dominant to let die off?)
3) Or should I leave as is, or even remove the preferred variety since I have 24 other trees? I'd prefer leaving one or even both of the current trunks versus pulling and replanting since I already have 23 other trees planted that will ultimately (hopefully) give me plenty of production for family use.

Here are a couple of pics showing the trunks -- smaller is about 3" in diameter, with larger probably a bit over 4".

 

[Lucky_P]

I do pecans/hickories. I'd absolutely cut that rootstock off...once the tree drops its leaves...might as well let them feed the roots for what's left of this season.
I'd cut it as low to the ground as possible, at least at or below the graft union on the 'good' trunk. May need to cut it off 3-4 ft up, then cut the rest off..
Should minimize pinching your bar and allow a little better control for the final cut. A little slope would be good, but not overly critical. 4" oughta callus over in a couple years.
Noticed a similar one in my plantings this spring...I'd topworked a seedling pecan with a hican scion about 10 ft up, 15 yrs ago. The hican and codominant pecan are each at least 8 inch diameter at that height. Im gonna leave that one alone...not sure it'd ever close over, and I don't want to be cutting what's essentially a good sized tree, perched on a 10 ft stepladder with nowhere to run.

 

[H20fwler]

I agree with Lucky P

Wait until tree is dormant and cut it off at an angle. I would also add to paint the cut over good with TreeKote or some other similar tar based sealant to protect the cut so no nasties get in.

 

[bigbendmarine]

I do pecans/hickories. I'd absolutely cut that rootstock off...once the tree drops its leaves...might as well let them feed the roots for what's left of this season.
I'd cut it as low to the ground as possible, at least at or below the graft union on the 'good' trunk. May need to cut it off 3-4 ft up, then cut the rest off..
Should minimize pinching your bar and allow a little better control for the final cut. A little slope would be good, but not overly critical. 4" oughta callus over in a couple years.
Noticed a similar one in my plantings this spring...I'd topworked a seedling pecan with a hican scion about 10 ft up, 15 yrs ago. The hican and codominant pecan are each at least 8 inch diameter at that height. Im gonna leave that one alone...not sure it'd ever close over, and I don't want to be cutting what's essentially a good sized tree, perched on a 10 ft stepladder with nowhere to run.

MANY thanks for the replies, Lucky P and H20fwlr, and DEFINITELY will heed the advice on cutting above my intended final cut to get all the weight off the trunk / keep weight to a minimum.

Do have one follow-up question for y'all if you don't mind me asking. Will the pecan cut be prone to throwing up additional growth? To H20fwlr's suggestion, will painting over it help eliminate any resprouting from the cut? Don't know how bad pecans are about resprouting, but sure have a devil of a time with some other trees around my place though more so with ornamentals such as holly, crepe myrtles, etc.

 

[H20fwler]

MANY thanks for the replies, Lucky P and H20fwlr, and DEFINITELY will heed the advice on cutting above my intended final cut to get all the weight off the trunk / keep weight to a minimum.

Do have one follow-up question for y'all if you don't mind me asking. Will the pecan cut be prone to throwing up additional growth? To H20fwlr's suggestion, will painting over it help eliminate any resprouting from the cut? Don't know how bad pecans are about resprouting, but sure have a devil of a time with some other trees around my place though more so with ornamentals such as holly, crepe myrtles, etc.

The sealing won't stop the sprouting, in early summer you will prolly need to clip or rub off a few as they try and start. I know that my fruit trees will try to restart through the sealant a little, after midsummer it will have scarred over good and be a non-issue.

 

[H20fwler]

Are those sack worms in the tree or is that moss? Leaves look kind of chewed.

 

[bigbendmarine]

Are those sack worms in the tree or is that moss? Leaves look kind of chewed.

Pretty sure fall webworms. Don't love the unsightly appearance they add at all, but the trees seem to tolerate them fairly well.

 

[Lucky_P]

Just say 'No' to pruning sealants. At best, they're just 'cosmetic'(and most are not aesthetically pleasing, at that), but there's plenty of plant physiology research showing that they can actually impede 'wound healing'.
Yes, there may be some additional sprouts thrown up from the excised trunk, but perhaps not, as the sizeable 'good' trunk should be expressing apical dominance. I do, however, have one tree in my 'hickory plot'... 'Wurth' shagbark grafted ~3ft above ground on a seedling pecan understock... nearly 20 years ago... that requires twice yearly pruning off of vigorous rootstock shoots below the graft... seems that that seedling just does not want to support its graft, and keeps trying to take over... and I keep trying to beat it back into submission.

 

[Lucky_P]

Just curious...do you still know what variety the grafted portion is?