Hi Cory, I've heard that the Elliott is the best kind to get overall. Personally I only tried growing one Pecan tree, it grew pretty well for several years, then just pretty much died out, I think a scab disease got it. I have plenty of water for them but not a very good drainage because I'm in the bottom of a valley but here is some information that I gathered up for you that should give you a good start on researching what kinds you might like to try. Here is a link to a list of all the different kinds with their history and attributes.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/CARYA/PECANS/pecalph.htmHere's one called Bolds that won 1st place in 1965 Kentucky State Fair.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/carya/pecans/bolds.htmHere's some links you might find helpful.
Seven Reasons Pecan Trees Don't Produce
http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/specialty/pecans2.htmlNut tree growing in Kentuckyhttp://www.pawpaw.kysu.edu/KNGA/nut_tree_growing_in_kentuckytc.htmsnip...
Pecan growing in Kentucky should be limited to "Northern" varieties because Kentucky's growing season is usually not long enough for southern pecans to mature, i.e. for kernels to fill the shell. Nuts of Northern pecan varieties will not mature at higher elevations where day and night summer temperatures vary greatly. However, trees do grow well on these sites and make excellent shade trees.
If nuts of a particular variety are planted they will not produce a tree of that variety. Rather, to get a tree of a certain variety, wood from that variety must be grafted onto a rootstock.
All nut trees except filberts become quite large. Since nut trees take many years to fill their allotted space, some growers plant filler trees and remove them later, before branches of adjoining trees meet. The following chart shows suggested minimum permanent spacings and average years to first harvest when grafted trees are set out.
Pecan--planting distance 50'x50' 7-10 years for first harvest.
Pecans (Northern cultivars only) Carya illinoensis
Select pecan cultivars that produce large crops of medium sized, well-filled nuts rather than Southern cultivars that produce a few large, poorly filled nuts and are more prone to winter injury. Cultivars with resistance to scab disease should also be favored.
Desirable pecan nut characteristics include: less than 80 nuts/lb, greater than 50% kernel, high oil content, kernels that are light straw-color and lack of adherence of shell parts to the kernel.
Greenriver - Nut matures in 175-180 days, has a desirable shape and excellent quality. The tree is a heavy producer of pollen and nuts and produces a large nut with 60 to 70 nuts/lb. It is late bearing. Protogynous. Scab resistant
Hirschi -
Kanza - A new highly productive northern pecan cultivar release from the USDA with cold tolerance. The nut has a very high quality kernel with excellent color. It cracks mostly in halves with no packing material adhering to the dorsal or ventral grooves. Considered to be one of the best northern cultivars. Highly scab resistant and resistant to fungal leaf scorch and leaf and stem phylloxera. It is medium in susceptibility to hickory shuckworm and other pecan insects.
Lattus - Good late pollinator.
Major - Nut roundish and somewhat small. The well-filled nuts run 60 to 80 nuts/lb with plump, choice, superior quality kernels. This heavy producer is the most widely planted northern cultivar. The late Frank Street of Henderson, KY, a highly respected fruit and nut grower, recommended that commercial plantings of 'Major' consist of 75% 'Major,' 10% 'Posey' and 15% other cultivars for trial. Scab resistant and protandrous.
Mohawk - Produces a large nut, 35-50 nuts/lb, with a thin shell that is 60% kernel and bears at an early age. Requires a long season to fill and is for western Kentucky only. As the tree gets older it tends to over produce and becomes an alternate year bearer. Scab resistant.
Pawnee - Nuts have very light colored kernels that crack out well in halves. Precocious pollinates well with Posey and is very productive. An outstanding new variety recommended for the entire state, however this variety has as only medium scab resistance. Consequently this variety needs to be planted on a site with good air drainage and may need to be sprayed for scab on low damp sites.
Posey - Desirable nut and kernel, 60 to 70 nuts/lb, heavy yielder, good pollen producer. Does well in all parts of the state. Scab resistant and protogynous.
Yates 68 - Seedling discovered in the Ed Yates nut grove. It has 60 to 70 nuts per lb., a very thin shell and excellent kernel quality. Yates 68 is about 59% kernel. It is anticipated that this selection could replace the Major variety. Scab resistant.
Yates 127 - This is an important selection discovered in the nut grove of the late Ed Yates at Chrisney, IN. It has 65 to 70 nuts per lb, and is 55% kernel. The nut has an extremely thin shell making it possible to extract the excellent quality kernels in one piece. Indiana and Kentucky nut growers rate this as the best of all northern selections currently being evaluated. Scab resistant.
Pecan Planting & Fertilization
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1356.htmhttp://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag81.htmlPlant guide interesting information PDF file
http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_cail2.pdfNothern Nut Growers Association
Articles & Books about Pecans
http://www.icserv.com/nnga/pecan.htmPDF file Commodity Highlight Pecans: The Native Tree Nut.....Pecans are the only native tree nuts grown for commercial use in the US.....
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FruitAndTreeNuts/fruitnutpdf/PecansFTS304.pdfHere's a wonderful thread on Growing Pecan Trees, there is a lot of questions and answers from a large variety of people who grow Pecan Trees.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/secoast/msg121909218544.htmlBest of luck to you in your endeavor to grow Pecans please let us know what you decide to do and how it turns out!
