Q: We had to cut down a fifty-year old pecan tree due to the fact that it started to lean toward the house after the hurricanes. It was the best producer of pecans we had and we wish to replace it, in another location, with a good, fast-bearing tree.

A: You have a great opportunity to plant a heavy-bearing, disease-resistant replacement. Un-named “wild” pecans often get a leaf disease called scab. The disease causes the leaves and nuts to fall prematurely each year. Modern pecan selections bear big nuts AND resist scab disease. I favor ‘Stuart’, ‘Gloria Grande’ and ‘Sumner’ varieties. Loosen a wide planting area for your new tree, fertilize regularly during each growing season, and you’ll begin to harvest nuts in five years.