Texas is one of the top pecan-producing states in the country. The pecan is the only commercially grown nut native to the United States, and Texas recognizes its importance by naming it the state tree and the state health nut. Harvesting this valuable crop is a complex, multi-week process that shifts significantly each year. The timing depends less on a fixed calendar date and more on the biological signals of the trees.
The Typical Texas Pecan Harvest Window
The commercial pecan harvest season in Texas begins in late October and continues through December. The start of the harvest is determined not by the calendar but by a distinct visual cue: the natural splitting of the shuck. When the four sections of the outer husk peel back, the pecan inside is fully mature and ready.
The season can extend into January for late-maturing varieties or for final clean-up passes in orchards. Improved or cultivated varieties are often ready earlier, allowing growers to reach the early market. Native pecans, which grow along riverbeds and streams, mature later and are harvested toward the middle or end of the overall window.
Variables That Determine Pecan Readiness
The precise moment of shuck split and readiness is sensitive to environmental factors, making the harvest window flexible each year. Climate plays a significant role, with adequate moisture being important during the late summer and early fall. Pecan trees require sufficient water in August and September to properly fill the nuts, which is a prerequisite for maturity.
Prolonged periods of intense summer heat and drought can stress the trees, negatively impacting the timing and quality of the final crop. Conversely, late summer rains can increase the risk of fungal diseases, such as pecan scab, which affects nut development and readiness. Geographic location within Texas also influences the schedule. Growers in the cooler Panhandle region must often select earlier-maturing varieties to avoid crop damage from cold snaps.
Methods of Pecan Collection
Once the nuts have achieved full maturity and the shucks have split, the collection process begins. Commercial operations rely heavily on specialized machinery to efficiently gather the massive yield. Large, tractor-mounted hydraulic shakers are used to grasp the tree trunk and vibrate the entire tree, causing the ripe pecans to fall onto the prepared orchard floor.
After the nuts are on the ground, mechanical sweepers or harvesters follow to gather the pecans and separate them from leaves, sticks, and other debris. Following collection, the raw pecans must be dried to reduce their moisture content, which is necessary to prevent spoilage and achieve the brittle shell required for cracking. For smaller orchards and home growers, collection is often a manual process involving long poles to shake the branches or simply hand-picking the nuts from the ground.