After 3 yr, very little pruning is necessary, since trees form a natural, vase-shaped canopy through repeated forking at terminals. Only dead, diseased, or broken limbs are removed on a regular basis. An alternative to filler tree removal is selective limb thinning of filler trees once inter-tree competition begins. This partially offsets the large decrease in yield experienced after filler tree removal. E. Backyard considerations .
Pecans are excellent dooryard trees in the southeast, provided adequate space is available.
Pecans can be harvested when the shuck loosens from the shell, or when shucks split. Pecans are harvested with trunk or limb shakers, depending on tree age.